🙋♂️ What Is the Rule of Emergence?
The Rule of Emergence explains how real breakthroughs are created.
It’s the method behind solving — or dissolving — the biggest problems you or your clients face.
If you internalize this rule, you’ll never have a client session where some form of breakthrough doesn’t occur.
Here’s the basic idea:
A problem cannot be solved on the same level where it was discovered.
Said differently:
When a problem shows up, the resolution won’t be found by just staying stuck on that same mindset level. You must move.
🧰 The Five Mindsets Framework
Before we go deeper, a quick reminder of the mindset levels we work with:
Self — our inner world (thoughts, beliefs, identity)
Strategy — our external actions (systems, habits, resources)
Social — our relationships and communication
Society — the broader cultural forces we live within
Spiritual — the existential, meaning-making part of life
At IHPD, we primarily focus on Self, Strategy, and Social, though it’s important to be aware that Society and Spiritual also shape the work.
⚙️ How the Rule of Emergence Works
Let’s break it down with a few examples:
Example 1: Low Self-Worth
Suppose a client says,
↳ “I’m struggling with low self-worth.”
Your first move is to categorize the problem:
This is a Self issue — it lives in their internal world.
But here’s the key:
The solution does not live at the Self level.
You can’t simply help them “think better thoughts” or “just believe in themselves.”
To truly move the needle, you have to explore what gives them a sense of worth. So your job is to help them examine and discover what makes them feel worthy.
If they say, “I feel worthy when I’m fairly compensated for my work,”
→ The breakthrough opportunity lives in the Strategy realm (taking action around money, career, value).If they say, “I feel worthy when I’m respected and loved in my relationship,”
→ The breakthrough opportunity lives in the Social realm (communication, relational dynamics).
The takeaway:
While the problem showed up in Self, the solution lives in Strategy or Social.
Example 2: Relationship Challenges
A client says,
↳ “I feel disconnected from my partner.”
It’s tempting to think: “We just need them to communicate more.”
But more conversations alone won’t fix the issue.
You have to dig into:
Strategy (What actions are creating disconnection?)
Self (What personal history or fears are being projected into the relationship?)
Simply staying in “relationship talk” mode won’t create change.
The resolution requires different work.
🫣 Why People Stay Stuck (and How to Help Them Move)
One of the biggest reasons people get stuck is because they keep trying to solve problems at the level where they found them.
They overthink Self problems, spiraling in rumination.
They act chaotically on Strategy problems without shifting who they are.
They talk relationship issues to death without addressing actions or internal wounds.
The Rule of Emergence is the antidote.
It teaches you — and your clients — to look for the next level of work.
Breakthroughs happen when we shift realms.
🚀 Simple Reminders for Practice
I’ve summed up the Rule of Emergence this way:
🧠 You can’t outthink yourself.
Self-level problems won’t be solved by more thinking.
🤪 Mindless action creates chaos.
Strategy problems won’t be fixed by just doing more.
🗣️ Conversations alone won’t fix relationships.
Social problems require work on action and self-awareness, not just more talking.
The solution always requires stepping into a different level of engagement.
🔥 Why This Matters…
The Rule of Emergence is critical for your own growth — and it’s foundational if you’re coaching others.
It gives you a map:
Where the problem shows up is not where the solution lives.
Real breakthroughs require crossing levels.
Growth is movement — not repetition.
Keep this principle top of mind. It will guide your questions, shape your strategies, and ensure that the work you do creates real, lasting change.
The breakthrough you’re looking for doesn’t live where the problem appeared — it emerges when you move to the next level.
Keep going.
Keep mindset designing.
And keep creating breakthroughs that matter.
