Published Online: 3rd
September 2008
The Challenge-Respose (C-R) Model
I learnt about this model in a course
facilitated by (then) Dr. – but now Professor - (Mrs.)
Janice Olawoye. Janice is an American married to a Nigerian,
and has worked in Nigeria as a university lecturer for over
15 years. I took the course during my third year of undergraduate
study in the University of Ibadan’s Agricultural Extension
Services department.
As I recall it, the C-R model is based
on the premise that people from some societies, which today
are regarded as "developed", in the early days on
earth, were confronted by very harsh environmental conditions.
They had - among other things - extreme
weather variations (e.g. Snow during which time most plants
either died or hibernated, leaving little if any fruits and
animals for humans to eat). Also phenomena like Hurricanes,
Blizzards, and Earthquakes etc were repeatedly visited upon
them and often claimed many lives.
The frightening possibility of extinction
forced them to search for ways to "control" their
environment. Over many years, concerted efforts led to various
inventions which progressively made it possible to control
their environment better (Electricity, Air-conditioning, weather
monitoring and control equipment etc). Man-made creations,
designed to make life on earth safer and easier, were thus
initially produced as a means to ensure survival.
However, in the process of responding
to nature’s life-threatening challenges, they also discovered
a previously unknown part of themselves. They had come to
realise an inherent ability as humans to achieve practically
anything they set their minds to.
So they began applying the learnings
obtained from trying to survive, to making their existence
even more pleasurable. In effect science and technology was
born, and evolved over the years to meet their needs - and
those of the rest of the world!
At about the same time, in the other
groups of societies, which today are considered to be "developing"
or "under-developed"/"third world" etc,
however (i.e. during those early days), the C-R model posits
that the environment was generally very conducive for human
existence.
For instance in many places, trees with
juicy, edible fruits were rarely ever in short supply -and
when they did get limited in availability, the people simply
moved on to other areas where things were still “rosy”!
Also, weather variations - in most parts
- rarely approached the extremities recorded in the societies,
which are today called "developed".
So, the proponents of this sociological
"theory" posit that the favourable environment -
at that time - in the societies today regarded as "under-developed"
made the people there adopt a relaxed - passive - attitude
to life wherein they felt no pressing NEED to control their
environment (at least not like those in the relatively "harsher"
environments which today are considered "developed".
Unfortunately, this absence of frighteningly
challenging external stimuli (believed to have motivated the
now developed socities (back then - and even today!) to actively
seek to control their environment), is what the proponents
of the C-R model believe led to the relative underdevelopment
of those less developed today.
Analogy: Application of the C-R
Model In Sports
Now, I have no interest in debating whether
or not this model is correct. What I am interested in is the
logic of the argument it presents. World Class athletes will
tell you that when their rivals are not in a race with them,
they often find it difficult to put in the extra effort needed
to break old (or set) new records. It is not uncommon to hear
a professional athlete say she needs someone to “pace”
her.
Think back to competitions you have witnessed,
and you will realise that records have often been set, as
a result of two or more strong contenders for the first place
in a race struggling to beat each other to the finish line.
When an athlete knows she has outpaced the rest of the field,
there is sometimes less motivation to keep going at maximum
speed, since no physical evidence of a threat to clinching
first place is apparent.
The foregoing shows that the logic of
the C-R model could (and I do mean could!) be right. If we
apply it to our individual lives, it implies that our difficult
colleagues, bosses, and friends actually present us with challenges
that we can CHOOSE to deliberately USE motivate ourseleves
to strive for continuous improvement in our personal and work
lives.
So, every time they refuse to help, try
to obstruct us, criticise (or ridicule) us, we should deliberately
draw strength from the thought of eventually achieving our
objective(s) DESPITE their efforts!
Generally, those who go through life
too easily or comfortably are often ill prepared to deal with
difficulties and disappointments - especially psychologically.
As a result, they are typically incapable of withstanding
adversity or recovering from (temporary) setbacks or failures.
On the other hand, people who have always
had to struggle through life often emerge “toughened”,
and demonstrate this by being resilient even in the face of
difficulties, hardships, setbacks etc caused by difficult
people or circumstances around them.
Summary
To be successful in life, one needs to develop an ability
to accommodate and tolerate others who differ from - or disagree
with - us in any number of ways.
In the same way, we need to be able to
ADAPT to those inevitable periods when we will find ourselves
in inconvenient, difficult, uncomfortable environments or
circumstances that we are NOT so used to, or that we totally
dislike. Our ability to ENDURE, and make the most of such
"opportunities" will ultimately determine our success
- or otherwise.
These are examples of REAL-LIFE challenges
you will have to deal with daily. As I have said elsewhere,
development of a positive mindset, mental stamina and visualisation
are the three most CRUCIAL requirements for ANYONE to succeed
in ANY area of endeavour in life.
It’s not easy to do and you may
not like it, but in my opinion nothing teaches greater discipline
(and builds you UP better) than having to periodically struggle,
and WORK hard to OVERCOME unexpected difficulties or challenges
that confront you in your society and/or environment.
Master this
skill, and you will be well on your way to becoming truly
UNSTOPPABLE!
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