Life isn’t linear – it is complex.
Let me explain.
By the words of billionaire investor Ray Dalio, most people think in terms of first order consequences.
Most people think that getting punched = bad. They think that being rejected = bad. They think that failing equals bad.
But what people don’t think of are the second order consequences. Such as for a boxer, getting punched means learning a new defence move – because he/she is eager to improve his craft.
Such as the fact that, for a businessman, being rejected may be good – because he will know exactly what the prospect doesn’t like, and he’ll now be able to improve his product.
Such as the fact that, for a person who will not settle for mediocrity, failing might be good – because it forces him to learn new things, every time he/she fails.
Life isn’t linear. It is a complex system filled with interacting components that all affect each other.
Instead of this, where you can push on one side and see the effect directly, as the first order effect:
Life, such as other complex systems, are like this.
A twist in one gear would cause a complex chain reaction, with cause and effect lost in the other mechanisms.
The solution?
Understand how the world works, as well as what you want. Ask more “why” questions.
And most importantly, figure out one direction to go towards. Without a north star, you will be lost in the chaos – unable to decipher the causes from their effects.
Upvote and share if this helped you in any way!
-hans.
