Specify the initial state

You must specify the initial state for new instances of your entity:

Figure 1. Specifying the initial state

/**
     * Defaults the state to
     * {@linkplain MYLIFECYCLEENTITYSTATEEntry#OPEN}.
     */
   public void setNewInstanceDefaults() {
   setState(OPEN);
   }

Note: If you find that new instances have a number of possible initial states, then consider whether:

calling code should be responsible for creating a new instance of your entity with a default state, and then immediately transitioning it to the required state; or
you are trying to force logically different concepts to be stored on the same physical entity, and perhaps should instead consider using inheritance/polymorphism to separate out different behavior.