Journey Matching

Input: $ARGUMENTS

Interpretations

Before executing, identify which interpretation matches the user’s input:

Interpretation 1 — Find journeys that match a current situation: The user has a goal, problem, or life situation and wants to find journey archetypes from the library that match, so they can learn what typically comes next and what to watch for. Interpretation 2 — Get guidance for a specific stage of a journey: The user already knows roughly what journey they’re on but wants to understand where they are in it, what challenges to expect at this stage, and what transitions are ahead. Interpretation 3 — Compare alternative paths forward: The user is at a decision point where multiple journey patterns could apply and wants to see how different paths diverge, what each requires, and which fits their constraints.

If ambiguous, ask: “I can help with finding journeys that match your situation, getting stage-specific guidance for a journey you’re on, or comparing alternative paths forward — which fits?” If clear from context, proceed with the matching interpretation.

Overview

Given a current situation (goal, problem, state), find journeys from the library that might apply. This enables learning from past patterns without reinventing every path.

Steps

Step 1: Characterize the situation

Describe the current situation in semi-generalizable terms.

Avoid specifics: NOT: “I’m a 35-year-old software engineer at BigCorp wanting to start a fintech startup” BUT: “Person in established career seeking entrepreneurial transition in technical domain”

Capture:

Current state (what is)
Desired state (what’s sought) - if known
Gap type (what kind of change is needed)
Constraints (what limits options)

Output: situation_characterization

Step 2: Identify archetype dimensions

Estimate the journey archetype:

Complexity:

Simple: Direct path likely exists
Complicated: Multiple clear steps needed
Complex: Path will emerge through action
Chaotic: Survival mode, stabilize first

Difficulty:

Easy: Resources exceed requirements
Challenging: Will require effort and growth
Hard: Requirements exceed apparent resources
Seemingly impossible: No obvious path

Predictability:

Predictable: Know the general shape
Has twist: Expect unexpected turn
Reversal possible: May discover opposite goal
Emergent: Destination unclear

Frequency:

Universal: Nearly everyone faces this
Common: Many face this
Uncommon: Specific circumstances
Rare: Few face this

Output: archetype_estimate

Step 3: Identify domain and themes

What domain(s) does this situation belong to?

Domains:

Personal growth
Career / professional
Relationship / social
Creative / artistic
Entrepreneurial / business
Learning / skill development
Health / wellbeing
Spiritual / meaning
Financial
Technical / problem-solving

What themes are present?

Themes:

Transition (leaving one thing for another)
Growth (becoming more capable)
Recovery (returning from setback)
Discovery (finding what’s unknown)
Creation (making something new)
Connection (building relationships)
Liberation (escaping constraints)
Mastery (achieving excellence)
Transformation (becoming different)
Resolution (ending conflict)

Output: domain_and_themes

Step 4: Search journey library

Search for matching journeys:

Primary match criteria:

Archetype similarity (complexity, difficulty match)
Domain overlap
Theme alignment
Starting state similarity
Desired state similarity (if known)

Search strategy:

Exact archetype match + domain match
Partial archetype match + domain match
Archetype match + theme match (cross-domain)
Theme match only (broadest)

For each candidate:

Why might this apply?
What’s similar?
What’s different?

Output: candidate_journeys

Step 5: Evaluate fit

For each candidate journey, assess fit:

Structural fit:

Does the starting state match?
Does the destination (if specified) match?
Do the constraints align?
Are the transitions relevant?

Resonance fit:

Does this feel like “my situation”?
Do the steps make sense for my context?
Would I recognize this as my potential path?

Transfer feasibility:

Can the steps actually be instantiated?
Are there blockers to this path?
What would need to be true for this to work?

Score each journey: Strong fit / Moderate fit / Weak fit / No fit

Output: fit_assessments

Step 6: Identify current position

For each fitting journey:

Where in the journey are you now?

Before the journey starts?
At step N?
Between steps?
Near the end?

This tells you:

What typically comes next
What others experienced at this point
What challenges to expect

Output: position_in_journeys

Step 7: Generate guidance

For top-matching journeys, generate guidance:

What this journey suggests:

Typical next steps
Common challenges at this stage
Key transitions to prepare for
What success looks like from here
What failure modes to watch for

Variations to consider:

What if your path differs?
Alternative routes others have taken
What makes your situation unique

Confidence level:

Strong match: High confidence in guidance
Moderate match: Consider this, but adapt
Weak match: Inspiration only, don’t follow literally

Output: journey_guidance

Step 8: Synthesize recommendations

Combine insights from all matching journeys:

Convergent patterns:

What do multiple journeys agree on?
What steps appear in most matches?
What transitions are universally important?

Divergent options:

Where do journeys differ?
What alternative paths exist?
Which divergences matter for your situation?

Synthesized guidance:

Most likely path based on matches
Alternative paths to consider
Key decision points ahead
What to watch for

Output: synthesized_recommendations

Output Format

situation_summary:
  archetype:
    complexity: '[simple|complicated|complex|chaotic]'
    difficulty: '[easy|challenging|hard|seemingly_impossible]'
  current_state: '[Semi-generalized description]'
  desired_state: '[If known]'
  domains:
  - domain1
  - domain2
  themes:
  - theme1
  - theme2
synthesis:
  alternatives:
  - path:
    - Alt step 1
    - '...'
    when_to_use: '[Condition]'
  convergent_patterns:
  - '[Pattern that multiple journeys agree on]'
  divergent_options:
  - '[Option 1: from journey A]'
  - '[Option 2: from journey B]'
  recommended_path:
    confidence: '[High|Medium|Low]'
    reasoning: '[Why this path]'
    steps:
    - Step 1
    - Step 2
    - '...'
top_matching_journeys:
- guidance:
    key_transition: '[Upcoming crucial moment]'
    next_steps:
    - Step 1
    - Step 2
    watch_for:
    - Challenge 1
    - Challenge 2
  journey:
    fit: '[Strong|Moderate|Weak]'
    source: '[Original source]'
    title: '[Journey name]'
    why_matches: '[Explanation]'
  your_position:
    current_step: N
    description: '[Where you are in this journey]'

jm - Journey Matching