Series of exchanges

Question 1

What is a transaction cycle?

Answer 1

A Transaction Cycle is a sequence of exchanges that happen in a certain order to complete a successful transaction. It includes
fundamental exchanges that are important in all human transactions. If you skip or ignore any step in the cycle, it may cause
problems for you. By studying and understanding the cycle, you can gain insights that will help you in your transactions.
Transactional Competence™ is the study of the basic mechanics and practices of transacting in the marketplace. Many people
understand the term “transaction,” but they may not know how to diagram the framework. The cycle has four moves or quadrants:
Invent, Present, Fulfill, and Complete. These moves are four of the eight fundamental exchanges that occur in every transaction,
each of which occurs at specific intervals in a cycle.
At first, the scope of these moves may seem simple or obvious. However, in the next topic, you will discover that your behavior and
personality may be oriented towards a specific move in any transaction. By studying, learning, and practicing these moves, you can
understand why certain results or satisfaction may have eluded you. This is the beginning of understanding your “transactional self.”
Learning and utilizing the eight fundamental exchanges in every transaction is crucial for success in the marketplace, whether you
are making offers to transact or accepting them. Transactional competence can accelerate initiatives and reduce expenses, but
more importantly, it can profoundly reduce the cost of dysfunction, mismanagement, and missed market revenue.
Transaction Cycle: A series of exchanges that occur at specific intervals in a cycle intended to produce a successful
transaction.

Invent, invite, present, contract, fulfil, measure, complete, assess

Question 2

Narratives of transaction cycle

Answer 2

As linguistic beings, humans think in stories and use story structure to organize their thinking and make sense of the world. This
framework is evident in how we think and act when transacting with others.
Every transaction, regardless of its speed, size, or complexity, involves eight fundamental exchanges that can be modeled in a
cycle. These exchanges may vary depending on the specific transaction, but they are always present.
Whether you are asking someone to pass you the salt, requesting a raise, or proposing marriage, practically every move you make
to satisfy a need, want, or desire can be modeled as a transaction.
Each of the eight exchanges has a specific purpose represented by a narrative, and once the purpose is satisfied and accepted by
the parties involved, the transaction moves to the next exchange in the cycle. The acceptance by the parties involved is the key
distinction to emphasize. Each exchange in a transaction carries a specific aim and purpose, and it is important to pay attention to
the acceptance of each narrative before moving to the next exchange.
In summary, humans use story structure to think and make sense of the world, and this structure is evident in how we transact with
others. Every transaction involves eight fundamental exchanges, each with a specific purpose that is represented by a narrative.
The acceptance of each narrative by the parties involved is crucial for a successful transaction.

Possibilities, possibility, intent to act, commitment to act, labour work play and action (activity), results and consequences, facts and judgements, inquiry

Question 3

Making sense of the world

Answer 3

Without attaching some kind of story to it, nothing really makes sense to us as human beings. Our feelings, moods, and actions are
all a product of some story we tell ourselves. Without a story, there is no meaning or relevance.
As human beings, we think and act through story, and the story of human activity is one of moving from one situation to another.
Most of the time, we don’t think about what we’re doing - we just enter into a situation and deal with the consequences as we go
along, accepting, ignoring, declining, doing, or not doing stuff all day long.
We make sense of the world through narratives, and this applies to transactions as well. The transaction cycle you have learned
utilizes distinctions and specific terms commonly found in business or money-related transactions. However, a more fundamental
way to look at the transaction cycle is through the narratives of each of its moves/phases.
By applying the narrative approach to the transaction cycle, we can use it to understand anything. It is through these narratives that
we make sense of the world and our interactions with it.

Question 4

Transact for aims

Answer 4

We transact for our aims in each Condition of Life™.
What motivates us to transact with others?
Our transactions are driven by our aims within each of the 15 Unavoidable Conditions of Life™.
These conditions are unavoidable aspects of human existence that we encounter throughout our lives. They can range in
importance from obvious needs like health, relationship, and money to more nuanced needs like education, spirituality, and legacy.
To live a fulfilling life, it is essential for adults to tend to these conditions and their respective aims and ethics. Neglecting these
conditions can lead to hardship and difficulty.
To transact successfully, it is crucial to think accurately about each condition and our aims and ethics related to it. This
understanding will enable us to achieve our desired outcomes and build meaningful connections with others.

For our purposes here, the important takeaway is that we only transact for aims; when these are well-articulated, we can
transact for them efficiently.
When these are not specific, we often render ourselves dissatisfied and rudderless.