A mind is a terrible weapon to waste

If you look at people as combat instruments, the physical capabilities they have are all within a few standard deviations of one another. Yes there are outliers in both directions but with conditioning and training amazing gains can be made with the most underwhelming protoplasm. We cannot hope to match the sheer physical power of the animal kingdom yet we dominate this planet. What separates us is an opposable thumb and a highly creative mind. Thus when you train, you train to as a fighter, a warrior, not as someone who wants to do some aerobics. You have a goal and a vision when you enter any arena be it the work place or the gym. Others are content to be there, you are there, for a reason, a goal, a determination of your fate controlled by your hands.
In order to be self-determining we must be able to use the tools we are taught. How are we able to articulate complicated simple motions, i.e. striking, in to complex multidimensional sets, i.e. combinations. The concept of kata or forms are simply codified versions of striking. A "four angles" combination may be "Angles of the Four Winds" a few hundred years from now if it is ritualized, taught based on tradition not applicability. I think people should experiment with the tools they are given:

Jab-cross four counts

In this round each side started with jab-cross and then finished with any two strikes. The goal here is to use a common, familiar reference point to show that there are vast number of combinations from the 2, but only a smattering are usable to and individual. As the 2 is applied it opens channels to land shots on your opponent that will morph with each set you throw.

Counting combinations

Next we had each partner go in turn throwing sequentially increasing numbers of strikes. Thus they would start with one shot, their partner would return two, and so on until one side faltered (and had push ups). This proves how difficult it is to think on your feat and the fatigue that is induced by throwing serial sets of punches. The idea then is to develop confidence in using the letters (individual punches and kicks) and string them into words (short combinations) that can produce sentences (extended combinations) eventually producing a paragraph (a round) and etc. This drill can be simplified by using the ICE drill concept.

Reading

This is a slow drill. One side throws a continuous combination, the other side interrupts it by throwing an "action" shot and then flows into their continuous combination. This promotes throwing longer combinations by string smaller combinations together, helps people see the openings in their own and their training partner's game, and teaches us that "offense truly is the best defense".