>*"We’re only conscious of steps 1 and 17."* To make it more clear. **"Step 1"** Yes, we can consciously do the action of step 1 (decision-making). **"Step 17"** No, we cannot consciously control step 17, because we cannot consciously control each muscle contractions in our muscle fibers, so for human beings it's not possible to directly operate the feedforward system (aka step #17). While we can feel, sense and closely monitor our muscles (using sensory feedback), this doesn't actually reinforce the movement of our muscles, it doesn't make it move, it only enables us to overrely on the feedback system. I'm happy you pointed this out, because this is a big problem in the stutter community, since PWS excessively try to control step 17 (which is impossible for human beings) and therefore they disrupt the decision-making or intention-forming (step 1). In step 17, PWS try everything and more when stuck in a speech block, except step 1.