Failing happens

No matter how well we plan and try to control the outcomes, things will change and happen that we haven't anticipated and we have to adjust.  Being able to adjust is probably even more critical than being able to plan.

Being really structured and rigorous in our expectations is bad news if it prevents us from reacting when things happen or change.  Don't over-do your planning or over-set your expectations but do have and set expectations.

When your expectations aren't met rapidly go back to planning and adjusting mode and figure out how to respond to the situation at hand.  Blink.  Add this to your mental model for next time and continuously improve always and forever.

There's a pattern to process improvement and it's really confusing

Action and inaction.  Balance.  Really?

All organizations have to improve their processes or they will fail and die.  Organizations will cease to exist if they do not react to and respond to their environment.  Organizations must continue to learn from their experiences and figure out how to act more efficiently and effectively during their next challenge.

Organizations must constantly adjust.  Organizations must also spend time relaxing and contemplating.

Organizations do not always have to be doing things.  For organizations, being idle is entirely fine until it is time for them to act.

Part of the adjustment process for organizations, though, is the contemplation of that change.

Process improvement cannot be total because we must also act, which can be seen as a fault or failure.

As organizations and individuals, we must balance reacting and contemplating.  If we don't we'll die.