Glossary
Strategies
Part of: Chase (Pursue)
Strategies are the four directions every adaptation moves in: Pursue, Withdraw, Control and Comply, or Chase, Hide, Fight and Fold.
1 min read · By Jay · Reviewed October 12, 2026
Strategies are the four directions every adaptation moves in. Each has a model name and an everyday word.
- Pursue, or Chase: trying harder.
- Withdraw, or Hide: pulling away.
- Control, or Fight: taking over.
- Comply, or Fold: giving in.
A tiny example. Your flatmate comes home in a frosty mood. One person makes them tea and asks what's wrong (Chase). Another stays in their room (Hide). Another demands to know what the problem is (Fight). Another apologises for something they didn't do (Fold).
Each Strategy has a gift and a cost. Most people use more than one, often a main Strategy and a backup. And you use a strategy; you are not the strategy.
Proprietary model
Every adaptation moves in one of four directions, Pursue, Withdraw, Control or Comply, and most people use a main one and a backup.
Read more on Chase, Hide, Fight and Fold.