Structure Is Important

The Importance of Structure cannot be understated. We need appropriate structure for productivity and to help keep negative habits from running rampant. This holds true in a variety of settings from businesses to families to classrooms. In fact, creating structure where none exists often serves to undo long-standing poor behavior.

My youngest son provides a perfect example of this truth. For the first eight years of his life, he had no structure. He moved from house to house (and often hotel to hotel) and was always around different people except for his older half-sister. School was optional. At some point, as his birth mother became increasingly absent, his behavior went from undisciplined to unruly.

Yet, over the years, as structure was consistently applied to his life, he went from special-ed student to high school graduate to father and husband. The struggles created by his past are not erased, but they are made more manageable when he submits to healthy structure.

Essential Elements of Structure

While many elements exist for solid structure, several essential ones rise to the top. From business success to raising godly kids to helping students achieve learning success, the essential elements of solid structure seem to always include consistency, organization and discipline.

  • Consistency provides security and safety that encourages stretching and trying new things.
  • Organization gives a better chance of not only completing but finishing strong.
  • Discipline, while often resisted, provides the learning necessary for growth.

When creating and maintaining structure, though, we must remember that too much structure can stifle. Overdoing structure results in attitude problems leading to disobedience and disrespect. Working to constantly maintain a balance within structure that changes with the seasons of life is crucial for structure to produce positive results.

Results of Appropriate Structure

Like the essential elements of structure that rise to the top, there also seems to be certain positive results that consistently show up as well.

  • Confidence comes when individuals overcome self-defeating habits in the safe environment of positive structure.
  • Security also results from solid structure because children, students, and employees alike know what’s expected of them as well as what to expect from their performance.
  • Growth physically, mentally, spiritually and socially also takes place as confidence grows within a consistent and organized structure.

Without appropriate structure, we get stuck in ruts and negative habits simply because they are comfortable, and change isn’t.