When things go well, identify the new demand before interpreting a setback as a secret wish to fail. Success may bring genuine capacity problems as well as visibility or uncertainty.
A worked situation: Two additional clients
Fictional example. A freelancer gains two clients and starts missing delivery dates. Her capacity estimate, the agreed scope, and her communication need checking before assigning an unconscious motive.
Work through these questions: Two additional clients
| Question or field | Fictional completed example |
|---|---|
| New demand? | Two additional clients |
| Capacity fact? | Available weekly hours |
| Observed setback? | Missed delivery date |
| Available repair? | Renegotiate scope and timing |
| Hypothesis to avoid? | I secretly want failure |
Check what changed when things began going well
Success can bring a real increase in work or a new agreement. Record that change before assigning a hidden desire to fail. Then identify the observed setback and a feasible repair or negotiation. The secondary-gain question remains a hypothesis; neither the example nor the book proves why a particular person disrupted a favorable situation.