Small Things' Nonlinearity / by Alexander Lyadov

Today I had my first fall from a scooter, going headfirst. It happened because:

  1. I had a bad night's sleep,

  2. I was running late for practice,

  3. I chose an uncomfortable scooter model,

  4. I zoomed downhill,

  5. I hopped onto the curb at a sharp angle.

None of these factors were a big deal on their own. If I had just four of them, I could have slowed down or walked over the curb.

Unfortunately, each factor demanded a piece of my attention. The task's difficulty exceeded my available resources to handle it.

The same thing happens in business, sports, and life's other aspects. We tell ourselves, "no problem. It's just a little thing." Unfortunately, we often overlook how all those small things add up.

Our minds poorly predict non-linear effects. That's why they regularly take us by surprise.

Conclusion: Keep an eye on the overall strength of your system. It could be your business, your body or your family. In this sense, there are no small things at all.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander


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