The Joy Of Non-Linearity

Once there was a wise man who lived in a small village with his happy family. He had a cute son and a beautiful wife. He loved them more than himself. His wife acted as a source of strength to him in all his expeditions. She was his true soulmate. A true soulmate shows you the true picture of yourself and accepted you with all the virtues and vices. One day his cute wife requested him to make a tool made of stone that will help her in crushing the ingredients while preparing supper. He accepted her request and start searching for a big stone. Luckily, he found a big stone in the backyard. As he was about to break the big stone with a hammer, his son arrived and interrupted him. "Dad! Let's play. I am feeling boredom." My dear son! I am building a tool that will assist your mom in preparing the food. We will play together once I will finish the task. The obedient son nodded and sat on the bench placed in the backyard. The son was very inquisitive and believed in learning by observation. He was keenly looking at his father with wonder to acquire the skills needed for creating a tool. His father started hammering the stone with great force. The stone was very hard and nothing seems to happen to it in the face of heavy blows. The son started counting the heavy blows made by his father on the stone. He kept on hammering again and again but was unable to make a single dent in the stone. When the count reached ninety-nine, his impatient son burst into anger and told his Dad, "Please Stop! You are unnecessarily wasting your energy. Nothing is happening to the stone. Let's play and have some fun." His father replied, "Oh! my dear son, wait for some more time. You are going to learn a very deep lesson in a short while." When he hammered the stone for the hundredth time, the big stone was shattered into pieces. His son was amazed at it and his father started smiling. The curious son started mulling over the following questions:

1. Does anything happen to the stone until the ninety-ninth blow?

2. Why does the stone break at the hundredth blow?

3. Do such patterns found in other areas of life?

Before answering these questions, Let's understand the deep lessons hidden in the story.

1. Patience and Persistence are the virtues. One has to cultivate these qualities to become successful in life. Persist but experiment in the face of setbacks. Obstacles make us creative by forcing us to think that has never been thought before.

2. Never judge anything based on an outcome. Follow the process over the outcome. Willpower is fragile so don't rely on it. Create a system that will move you toward the desired outcome.

3. Sometimes circumstances make the person very hard. Keep on hammering their hard hearts with good deeds despite their bad behavior. One day the softness will ensue.

4. The most important insight is about the non-linear system. The system in which input and output are not directly related to each other. The critical mass is the underlying idea behind non-linearity that derives its origin from nuclear physics.

Let's spend some time understanding the fundamentals of the critical mass to apply the concept of non-linearity in our day-to-day life.

The minimum amount of nuclear mass required(Critical mass) to create a reaction in which the output of one reaction acts as an input for another to create a self-perpetuating reaction known as Nuclear fission. When a system reaches the critical mass, the last input changes the state(properties) of a system known as a tipping point, which can either make a system better or worse. In a nutshell, the underlying idea behind critical mass is the minimum amount of energy that changes the state of a system. It's like a proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back. A single straw will never break the back of a camel. As the weight goes beyond a certain threshold only then it will break the back of a camel. The last straw looks impressive but the change in the state of a system happens due to the buildup that starts by putting the first straw. The final result is an outcome of the small micro-actions.

The water changes its state at a hundred degrees celsius. Until ninety-nine degrees, it is in a liquid form. The last one-degree change in temperature (acts as a critical mass) changes the state of a system from liquid to gaseous. In a similar manner, the minimum number of people required to act as a critical mass so that the group gathering feels like a party. As the people keep on coming until a person comes which crosses the threshold that tips the system into high gear to make the gathering feels like a party.

I don't have to convince everybody in the room. I just need a critical mass of the people in the room. Simon Sinek

A person's expertise is beneficial to him if he is working on an idea that is on the verge of critical mass to become a mainstream technology. Unlike a person working on an idea that will take ten more years to reach a critical mass to become a mainstream technology. The concept of critical mass is closely tied to the idea of non-linearity. In a linear system, X amount of input yields Y amount of output. Fixed deposit is an example of a linear system that yields a fixed amount of return per annum. In a non-linear system, the output is not fixed concerning an input. Investing in stocks is an example of a non-linear system. Invest in non-linear systems when it comes to intellectual and social domains.

The idea of critical mass is ubiquitous and used in a variety of domains. In astrophysics, critical mass is defined as the minimum amount of mass required to change the state of a system. In epidemiology, critical mass can be defined as the minimum number of populations that must be vaccinated to prevent the spread of a contagious disease. In the business world, critical mass is reached when the business is generating enough revenue so that it has no longer dependent on outside investments for proper functioning. In social trends, when a certain number of people start believing in an idea that upon moving a certain threshold becomes an acceptable idea and is implemented as a policy. Ideas move in progression from Unthinkable -----> Radical -----> Acceptable -----> Sensible -----> Popular -----> Policy.

After gathering a few facts about critical mass, it's time to answer the kid's questions. (Otherwise, his patience will soon turn into a wave of uncontrollable anger.)

Does anything happen to the stone until the ninety-ninth blow?

Of course, the bonds between the atoms of a stone are weakened by the repeated blows of a hammer by his Dad. The results are not apparent but an effort(foundation) to break the stone is piling up.

Why does the stone break at the hundredth blow?

The critical mass is reached at the hundredth blow. The bonds can no longer be glued together. Hence, breaking the stone. In other words, it changes from one state to another.

Do such patterns found in other areas of life?

In any system where nodes are interacting with each other either in the form of currency or sharing of information, the potential for critical mass or non-linear growth is possible. Consider a network of Uranium-235 atoms (atoms are acting as nodes), if enough atoms are present in a system where the decay in one atom releases neutrons causing the decay in adjacent atoms creating a self-sustaining chain reaction known as an atomic explosion.

The idea of critical mass is very important for entrepreneurs to understand the lifecycle of new technology. Everett Rogers, a well-known sociologist gave the diffusion of innovation theory which demonstrates that people belong to one of the five groups before adopting new technology. The five groups are as follows:

1. Innovators: They are those who think differently and execute new ideas. They work very hard and take the maximum risk. A very small number of the population fall into this category. They are audacious and have no fear of traversing the unknown path. They figure out the optimal strategies as they move along the path. The emergence of a product is the result of excessive hit and trial methods.

2. Early Adopters: They believe in new technologies and growth. They have inoculated themselves from the force of social proof. They have internalized the idea that there is always a scope for improvement in products. They adopt the minimal viable product and try to make it better by giving rapid feedback to innovators.

3. Early Majority: As new features are incorporated into the product from the feedback of early adopters, it becomes more and more valuable. More people are attracted, start utilizing the product, and help it to reach the tipping point.

4. Late Majority: These people are under the influence of social proof. They follow herd thinking and are not interested in wasting their time and money on new technologies. The product has got immense value proposition when they adopt the product.

5. Laggards: These people adopt the product when it becomes impossible for them to live without it. It becomes their primary need. These people are highly risk averse. If they don't use the product they will feel left behind. The widespread usage of products in mainstream society forced people to adopt them.

The rate of diffusion of a product varies on the awareness level of society, its familiarity, ease of use, and the impact it will create on people who adopt them. Let's understand the concept of diffusion of innovation through a real-life example.

Facebook is initially used by students and professionals in educational institutions. Mark Zuckerberg is an innovator who developed it. Students and professionals are early adopters and the early majority that propelled Facebook to reach critical mass. When its usage moves beyond educational institutions, it is adopted by the late majority to share valuable information with their friends. Laggards finally adopted it otherwise they will be left behind among their friends.

A Telephone is another example to get a good grasp on the concept of diffusion of technology. Graham Bell is an innovator who invented the telephone. Doctors are early adopters as it helps them to do their job quickly. They are willing to pay high prices for it. When new use cases like text messages emerged, it is adopted by the early majority and pushed the product to reach a critical mass. The late majority adopted them because it helps them to connect with their family members easily. The newly launched product has gained momentum in society. Laggards are forced to use them otherwise, it becomes difficult for them to connect to their family members.

Critical Mass is an important idea to get deep insights from the social system. In the social system, it implies that when an idea is endorsed by enough people its growth can sustain itself. People's minds don't change drastically in a day. It is usually the accumulation of small actions that yield big results. Overton window is an idea that demonstrates when an idea is accepted by a sufficient number of people to propose it as a policy. Fringe ideas become mainstream and mainstream ideas become fringe over the decades. It means ideas or opinions are not static. They kept on evolving with time. Change is the only constant.

A huge amount of effort is required to overcome the inertia and to create a new change. When the system moves beyond a certain threshold, the last input has a disproportionate impact on the system and tips into a new state. A similar thing happened in New Zealand during the Women's Suffrage movement. In 1893, New Zealand became the first self-governing country that gave the right to women to participate in Parliamentary elections. It seems as if higher authorities suddenly changed their minds and gave women the right to participate in elections. The change doesn't happen overnight. The gradual movements from time to time nudge the people to change their minds. Some of the factors are:

1. The population of New Zealand is very small. The majority of them came from European countries. They wanted to create a fairer society than the one they had left behind. The male population supported them at the beginning and helped them to gain a foothold in the parliament to protect their voting rights in the elections.

2. The higher officials of New Zealand wanted to educate their females also. The first girl's school was opened in New Zealand in 1871. In 1893, the ratio of boys vs girls became 1:1. Better education paved the way for more employment opportunities other than customary domestic duties. Females started influencing the domains like teaching, journalism, medicine, art, etc. Upon facing the worst working conditions, they started to unionize which kept them together.

3. The temperance movement also bought them closer to each other. The aim of the temperance movement is to prohibit the consumption of alcohol in New Zealand. The men drank away their weekly wages leaving their wives and children bereft. However, alcohol was not banned in New Zealand but still it helped them to raise their voice against brutality and violence. They became more aware of their basic rights and the temperance movement gave them thurst to forge the skills like administration, collaboration, and organization. Now they knew if they work collaboratively towards a common goal, they will create a fairer society in the near future.

Kate Sheppard filed several petitions and presented them to parliament in 1890. Despite initial failures, she kept on trying. In 1893, she amassed 32,000 signatures that ultimately passed the law. Now women have the right to actively participate in elections. The women's suffrage movement acts as a tipping point and after the second world war, many countries gave their women the right to vote to participate in elections. It implies when any system reaches a tipping point, the state of the system changes which can either make the system better or worse.

The network effect is the root cause behind the critical mass that tipped the system into a new state. Robert Metcalf who invented the ethernet gave the idea of the Network effect. According to the network effect, if there are N nodes present in a network then the value of the network is equal to the square of the number of nodes present in a network. It is also known as Metcalf's law. Let's understand this idea through the example of a telephone. The value of some products or services is proportional to the number of users who use them. If you have a telephone in your home and no one among your relatives uses it then the value of your telephone network is zero. When the number of users increases then the value of a network increases non-linearly.

Wherever the network effect applies, the addition of each user increases the value of a network. The rate of growth of a network is greater than the growth of users in the network. The network effect has a variety of applications in our lives.

Reading is a foundational skill to learn anything in life. Reading a good book gives the maturity of at least forty to fifty years because the author has lodged his life experience in writing a book. Let's assume reading a book gives ten ideas to a reader. When the reader reads the second book, he got ten more new ideas. When the ten ideas from the previous book are connected with the ten ideas of the second book then the total number of connections becomes a hundred. By the time, he will complete his tenth book the number of connections between ideas increases to 100000000000000000000. That's why reading makes people creative and smart. Read as much as possible to create a better life for yourself and for your loved ones.

If we create networks with the sole intention of getting something, we won’t succeed. We can’t pursue the benefits of networks; the benefits ensue from investments in meaningful activities and relationships. Adam Grant

When the idea of the network effect applies to technology, it tends to create a natural monopoly or oligopoly. One can't find too many social networking sites because of a few apps like Facebook, Whatsapp, and LinkedIn. They have dominated the entire market. Suppose a new social messaging app comes along and offers better features than WhatsApp. An intrepid user starts using it but he found no value in it because all his friends and relatives are on WhatsApp. To make it valuable, he has to convince all his loved ones to abandon WhatsApp and use the new one. His friend's friend should also be convinced otherwise his friend's friend would be on WhatsApp and they no longer can communicate with each other. The network effect creates a barrier for new entrants. To become dominant, the new ones have to replicate the existing network or at least come close to it. The network effect will create very high switching costs for the users.

The fax machine exemplifies the idea of the Network effect very well. It came on the market in 1840 but was not popular among people until 1970. It took the time of around one and a half centuries to gain sufficient critical mass to become a mainstream technology. Once the number goes beyond the threshold, its growth becomes non-linear. The key lesson to learn here is not to give up when the results are not apparent. Keep on putting the effort in the right direction and one day upon hitting the critical mass you will start seeing tangible results.

The success of the linked In app is also due to the strong network effects. LinkedIn has a large number of recruiters. Therefore, people who are looking for jobs sign-up on Linked In. Linked In got the maximum resume which attracts other recruiters who are looking for job applicants. It creates a positive feedback loop and thus makes Linked In a successful recruitment platform. Similar is the case with dating apps like shadi.com.

The network effect plays an important role in growth and relationships. If you are part of the right alumni network then it becomes helpful for you to get the right answers to esoteric questions and maybe you will be landed on the dream job through your contacts.

The idea of the network effect applies to the companies that gather data. The one that will make the first move will take all the advantages. Amazon is a dominant player in the e-commerce market. If a new e-commerce site will come along, it will still remain the dominant player. Convincing the buyers and sellers to use a new site is a very daunting task. If somehow they will convince them, still the new site is not effective because the buyers will not be able to take advantage of the product ratings available only at amazon.

Google is the dominant search engine. It gives the best possible result in response to any query. The best results will attract more traffic to it which means more user data will be available to Google. It provides free service to users and in turn sells the user's data to advertisers. Advertisers will be able to sell the right product to the right customers due to the availability of their data. Advertisers earn profit and thus more advertisers are attracted to google creating a positive feedback loop. Duckduckgo is another search engine that keeps the privacy of its users intact. Still, it won't be able to make any dent in the market of google. Once the network effect kicks in, it creates tremendous inertia for newcomers and the existing technology will retain its momentum for a longer period of time in the market.

The idea of network effects is very important for entrepreneurs. If they are working on a technology that has the potential for network effects then it follows an S-shaped curve.

To make it a mainstream technology, they have to ponder over the following questions.

1. Where does my product lie on the S-curve?

2. What is the critical mass for my product?

3. What acts as a catalyst to achieve an early tipping point?

An important thing to keep in mind while dealing with critical mass or network effects is cascading of failure. These universal laws like critical mass, network effects, tipping points, etc. are applied to a system that consists of multiple subsystems. A failure in one part of the system causes a failure in an adjacent system that leads to catastrophic failure. A major blackout in the power grid is an example that happens when a subsystem fails, increasing the load on the nearby subsystem which also gets failed due to an overload increasing further load on other subsystems causing the entire grid to halt.

The housing crisis in 2007-2008 is another example where the failure of subprime mortgages brings down entire financial institutions. The species like Panda and Koyala feed on bamboo and eucalyptus. If somehow bamboo or eucalyptus becomes extinct so do the panda and Koyala disrupting the entire food chain. Similarly, some habits like adequate nutrients, meditation, sleep, etc. play a key role in our lives. Failure to incorporate these habits will disrupt the balance leading to a stressful and worrisome life.

These are the natural laws that can be either used for good or bad. Using these laws in the right way will help us to lead a better and more joyful life.

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A Mathematical Idea for Improvement

Once there was a rich man who had a very big and beautiful house. He was living a luxurious life. Despite having enormous wealth, he wanted to acquire even more wealth. He had an unquenchable thirst for wealth. His desire for making more money made him restless. He started living a very distressed life. One day a monk visited a place where he was living. The rich man offered him shelter and served delicious food to him. When the monk was about to leave, the rich man uttered his problem to him. Out of compassion, he handed over four lamps to him to solve the problem. The direction and a number were written on each lamp. Whenever you need money, light the lamp and start going in the direction written on the lamp. Start digging the place where the lamp was extinguished and you will find enormous wealth. He advised him not to light the fourth lamp. The monk left the palace after giving the instructions. Desperate for money, he immediately lights the first lamp and starts moving in the direction written on the lamp. The lamp extinguished in the deep forest. He started digging the place and found a pot full of gold and silver coins. He became very happy. He repeated the same with the second and the third lamp. He found even more wealth in those places as directed by the monk. He thought the fourth lamp paved the way for even more wealth but the monk wanted to keep that wealth for himself. He lit the fourth lamp and started moving in the direction written on the lamp. The lamp extinguished at the isolated and deserted place. He dug up the place and found the stairs giving way to an entrance gate. He went down the stairs and opened the gate. His eyes were delighted by seeing the breathtaking palace full of magnificent items. The palace contained many rooms. As he opened the first room, he found that the room is full of diamond jewelry. He started dancing in joy. Suddenly, he heard a strange voice emanating from one of the rooms. When he opened the room, he found an old man grinding the mill. "What are you doing?", told the rich man to an old man. The old man replied, "Please come here and grind it. I need some rest." The rich man started grinding the mill. The old man laughed loudly. "Why are you laughing like a mad man", asked the rich man to an old man. He replied, "Now I am a free man. I came here due to the fourth lamp handed over to me by an old monk." The rich man became terrified and stopped grinding the mill. The old man instructed him not to do this otherwise the palace will collapse and he will be buried under it. You have to keep grinding the mill until a greedy man like you comes here and takes your place.

The story has many useful insights.

1. Always listen to the elders especially to your parents to avoid the mistakes they did earlier in their life. Spend more time in their company. Their mistakes become your source of wisdom to navigate the unknown territory of life. The presence of white hairs on their head indicates their wisdom. The deep experiences of their life have enriched their soul. Learn from them.

2. While pursuing a goal, know when to stop. One must have the wisdom to discern when to back off. Otherwise, one keeps on moving in circles and goes nowhere.

3. Avoid bad qualities like greed, lust, anger, close-mindedness, etc. to live a serene and blissful life. No matter how good we are in others of life. Unless we work in these areas, we remain unsuccessful in our personal as well as professional lives.

4. Avoid situations in life where the impact of one thing going wrong will wipe you out of the equation of life. Avoid the single point of failure. It gives rise to a mental model known as multiplying by zero. The events that will massively impact life are called black swan events. Stay away from the negative black swan events like debt, a bad marriage, a flamboyant lifestyle, etc.

Multiplying by zero is a useful tool for system thinking. A system is composed of various components which are interacting with each other. The strength of any system depends upon its weakest link. When the consequences are high, appropriate measures need to be taken to avoid failures. These parts are interacting with each other to determine the quality of the life. The multiplication describes the properties of the numbers. For example, 2*3 means the addition of 2 three times(2+2+2) or the addition of 3 two times(3+3). Similarly, 0*3 means the addition of 0 three times(0+0+0) or the addition of 3 zero times. It doesn't matter how big the numbers are, if multiplied by zero, they nullify everything.

To understand it clearly, let's consider the example of life. Life is a system that is composed of components like health, wealth, spirituality, relationships, and professional work that earns bread and butter. Good health helps us to appreciate the things we have, wealth gives a freedom to pursue whatever we like, spirituality makes us silent, peaceful, and blissful, good relationships increase the sense of worth and belonging, and are one of the key components of happiness, Professional work and the unique skill sets we possess makes us financially independent. If any of the above components are missing from life, it reduces the value of life to 0.

Systems thinking is a discipline for seeing wholes. It is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing ‘patterns of change’ rather than ‘static snapshots. Peter Senge

Extending the idea of multiplying by zero to other areas gives us better insights. Consider the case of a restaurant that is located in an amazing place that has outstanding aesthetics full of dim lights, romantic music with a wonderful ambiance, and humble waiters to greet you but if the cuisine they are serving is not good will nullify the effect of the rest of the components. Bad food cannot be compensated for the other factors. However, other factors like slow service can be compensated for good food. Identify the most critical component in the system and try to increase its value as much as possible.

A company that has good branding, useful product, and outstanding service but if the CEO made a racist remark will bring down everything. Similarly, in a competitive team if any one of the team members is constantly complaining will bring down the morale of the rest of the team members. The two key ideas to keep in mind while applying the mental model of multiplying by zero to any system is:

1. Identify the critical component in the system that is acting as zero for the entire system.

2. Find out a way to convert the value of a component from zero to one.

History teaches us a lot. The study of history makes us smarter by learning from the mistakes of others. An East German theft is an excellent example that demonstrates the idea of multiplying by zero. After the cold war, East Germany wanted to be at the top of cutting-edge technology. They wanted to build an indigenous computer. The computer was a critical technology that give them an edge over their competitors. Despite their best intentions, they created a culture within their country that suppresses innovation and creativity.

They squandered a large amount of money to import the embargoed goods from other countries. They even sent their spies to other countries to steal information necessary for building indigenous computers. They were not letting their scientists attend conferences happening in other countries due to security reasons. Their scientists were not getting enough exposure to build the niche technology. Even if they imported the embargoed components from other countries, they don't know how to troubleshoot them in case of failures.

The East Germans knew how to operate the components but didn't know the basic principles that make them work. They were not thinking from the first principles. They were dependent on clone technology. They weren't building anything on their own. No industry can become a leader by relying on cloned technology. Research happened in a collaborative environment. The East German system to build a computer has multiple components like sending spies to steal information from enemy countries, spending huge amounts of money to buy embargoed products, and providing support to their scientists. Despite all their efforts, they won't be able to build the indigenous computer.

They missed the important component known as innovation in their system. They spent enormous effort on improving the other components but overlooked the innovation. Innovation can't happen out of thin air. History has shown that people fail dozen times before becoming successful. One must have the historical knowledge to test their own hypothesis and keep on refining it unless one becomes successful. They need the necessary expertise to rely upon if anything goes wrong. If they collaborated with others, they might be able to successfully build the computer.

Learning and Innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow. William Pollard

Crop diversity is the variety and variability of crops and plants used in agriculture including their genetic and phenotypic characteristics. In Ireland, people were dependent on potatoes for their survival. It became a staple food for them. The potatoes which were planted in Ireland lacked genetic variation. Along with that, they were from the same species. All the potatoes were clones of each other. In 1845, a fungus affecting potato plants spread across the country. Since the plants lacked variability, the entire crops got destroyed. The majority of the population lacked their main source of food for up to five years.

Never put all the eggs in one basket. The food equation of Irish people consists of only potatoes. The failure in the production of potatoes put the lives of the Irish people at risk. The better approach is to put multiple crops in their food equation. It changes the multiplicative equation into an additive equation. If one of the crops get extinct, they can rely on other crops for their survival. Diversity in skills is the mantra for survival.

You must be diversified enough to survive bad times or bad luck so that skill and good processes can have the chance to pay off over the long term. Joel Greenblatt

Sometimes we are so engrossed in improving one part of the system that we fail to take into consideration the whole picture. For example, fragile health is the weakest component of a person. He started doing exercise to improve his health. The intensity of an exercise varies from person to person. If he expends too much energy on exercise then less energy is available to carry out the other tasks which will bring the entire equation down. Sustainable development is the motto to perform optimally. Once the weakest link is identified then make incremental progress to overcome the weakness. Don't hurt yourself by doing too much.

In some cases, the components aren't putting the entire system down but reduce the efficiency of a system. These are known as bottlenecks. As the neck of the bottle puts a limit on the amount of water that can flow through it. Similarly, the bottleneck in the system limits the delivery of output. If the CEO of a company is not delegating the power of decision-making to others then most of the resources in an organization will remain idle until the command is given to them. Bottlenecks are those people that make other people wait.

The entire bottleneck concept is not geared to decrease operating expenses, it’s focused on increasing throughput. Eliyahu M. Goldratt

A bottleneck can also be a part of the system that is under the maximum strain. Improving the areas other than bottleneck is not going to improve the efficiency of a system. The way to deal with the bottleneck is to allocate additional resources to balance the load. Sometimes we need to rethink the whole system in a new way to make it better and more efficient.

A constraint is the fundamental limitation of a system whereas a bottleneck is a part of a system that can be alleviated. A day has twenty-four hours is an example of a constraint whereas a machine that keeps on breaking is an example of a bottleneck. When improvement is made upon the worst part of the system then some other part of the system will become the new bottleneck. No matter what one does, there will always be a bottleneck present in the system. Always make an effort to shift the bottleneck to the less disruptive state.

While solving the problem of bottlenecks one has to ensure that the worst problems will not be created in the future. Be vigilant about the situations that will solve the short-term problems but create long-term problems down the line. Once a company was not meeting its required production quota. The company's manager went to the production line to find the root cause of the problem. His keen eye found that cheaper thread kept on breaking while sewing. To save 30 cents on the thread, the company was losing 300 dollars per hour. The degradation in the quality of the product will move problems in the future. Cure the disease rather than the symptoms. Strike on the root cause to improve the efficiency of a system.

The human brain evolved to protect its energy. Humans have a weird habit of not changing themselves unless no change becomes the least comfortable option. Humans resist change because it takes enormous energy to overcome inertia. New ideas came to our minds when we are faced with challenges. Thus, bottlenecks foster innovation.

Most of the products we are using these days are invented during wartime. Initially, America was dependent on Japan for the production of silk. Silk was used as a parachute fabric, Army combat helmet, artillery gunpowder bags, etc. When tension broke out between the two nations, America was forced to think about the substitute that led to the discovery of Nylon. Nylon is known as artificial silk whose properties are far better than natural silk.

Rubber is considered an essential war material because it is used in making tires for aircraft, tanks, and other vehicles. Initially, America was relying on Asia for the production of rubber. Due to the rising tensions, America was forced to think about substitutes which led to the discovery of synthetic rubber known as Ameripol. It is more cost-effective than natural rubber.

The impediment to an action always advances an action. Marcus Aurelius

In world war 1, many people were malnourished due to food rationing. Inadequate nutrients led to the development of rickets in soldiers and children. Rickets causes soft bones due to a lack of Vitamin D in the body. Doctors were forced to find out the solution to a problem. The German pediatrician Kurt Huldschinsky discovered that patients suffering from rickets when exposed to ultraviolet lamps recovered from the disease. The ultraviolet lamp simulates sunlight which prompts the body to produce Vitamin D thereby curing rickets. Now ultraviolet lamp is used to cure various skin diseases.

The best way to avoid system failure is to incorporate redundancy for the critical components in the system. Mother nature teaches us a lot about redundancy. Humans have two eyes, two ears, two lungs, and two kidneys to ensure that if one of them will fail then the other one can take over and the human will still survive. Some organisms give birth to millions of offspring in the hope that some of them will survive and pass on their genes to the next generation.

Redundancy is well-known in the field of engineering. Aircraft has multiple engines so that the other one will take over in case of failure. Big companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook, etc. have multiple data centers spread across the continents so that the damage is recoverable in case of any disaster. Redundancy plays an important role in the financial world. Always keep six to eight months of expenses in liquid amount or in terms of fixed deposit to deal with an emergency. Avoid debt because it not only makes you fragile but also hampers your ability to deal with unexpected storms.

Adding additional components to the system increases complexity. Most of the time, additional components remain idle and consume resources. For naive persons, redundancy seems like a waste of resources. Sometimes redundancy outweighs the risks compared to the benefits. In 1996, a safety device in the fermi reactor broke off which blocked the pipe that carries the coolant to the reactor core. Luckily, the reactor was not active at that time.

Redundancy or Safety measures can backfire sometimes. Multilane highways are designed by the government to prevent accidents. Seat belts, Airbags, Anti-Lock Breaking systems, etc. are the recent technologies introduced inside vehicles to prevent accidents. The increase in safety measures prompts the driver to drive more rashly which makes him more prone to accidents.

Conclusion: Systems are everywhere. Find the critical components or the bottleneck that is bringing the entire system down. Take appropriate measures to reduce the impact of the bottleneck or convert the zero component to one. Diversify your skills to avoid a single point of failure. As the old proverb says, "Never put all the eggs in one basket."

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A Basic Need

Once there was a boy who was born into a middle-class family. He was very cute. His eyes were like rabbits. People around him call him a chocolate boy. He had a loving mother, a caring father, and a supportive sister. His academic performance was outstanding. The hard work and dedication of a boy towards his studies helped him to crack an entrance exam to get enrolled in a prestigious college. He graduated from college with flying colors. He continued his journey of hard work that paved the way for him to become a gazetted officer. His family was very happy for him. The boy has everything at his disposal. He has a big house, sufficient money to cater to his day-to-day needs, prestige, etc. Suddenly, he started feeling a void within him. He becomes sad and depressed. He has everything yet he is sad. His wise mother instructed him to go to a spiritual master living nearby his home. He followed her advice and went to meet him. He saw that the man is very old. He has a long white beard with alluring eyes. The wise man listened to his problem and smiled at his innocence. He told him that he is lacking spiritual depth within himself. Initially, you are busy fulfilling your desires of the outer world. You don't have the time to look at your inner world. Your inner world as well as your outer world are not nurtured to the fullest. There exists harmony in both worlds. Therefore, you were at ease. Now the demands of the outer world are fulfilled. The inner world is still poor in spirituality. Spirituality means that you haven't yet attained the being. The disparity between the outer and inner world caused restlessness within you. Unless you work on your inner self, you will remain in misery. You have to self-actualize your potential to become silent, peaceful, and blissful. Self-actualization is your basic need. The boy understood the root cause of his suffering. He bowed to the wise man, took his blessings, and return to the home with more wisdom.

The gist of the story is it's not the lack of materialistic things that prevent us from achieving a blissful life. Instead, it's the lack of inner growth that is the root cause of misery. Self-actualization is the basic need of a human being. You might be thinking about ...

What is self-actualization?

Self-actualization is a term popularized by Abraham Maslow. It means a person has to become what he was to become. A man is born with potential. He has the freedom of choice. He becomes what he chooses. He can either actualize his potential or remain wherever he is. Potential doesn't imply outer growth. It is related to inner flowering. Buddha, Krishna, Mahavira, etc. are self-actualized persons. They have attained the highest peak.

The achievements of the outer world like money, power, prestige, etc. give a temporary high for a short period of time. A man is still sad due to his lack of inner growth. The fulfillment of one desire breeds ten more desires. The victories of the outer world can't be substituted for inner flowering. One has to understand the impermanence of things. Unless a man becomes aware of the vicious cycle, he will remain trapped in the web of desires.

“The purpose of life is to know yourself, create yourself, experience yourself as Who You Really Are. There is no other reason to do anything.” Neale Donald Walsch

Usually, an ordinary person is not too tense. He is always grounded. He doesn't have a glimpse of God-like qualities within him. His wings are not yet developed enough to take him to the sky. Artists like musicians, painters, writers, etc. are very tense. They are no longer grounded when they are in act of creating their art. They surrender to the inner source of their power which takes them higher in the sky. They have tasted the nectar of God-like qualities within them. Once the act of creation ends, they are thrown back to the Earth. Now they can't experience divine-like qualities because they have lost contact with their inner wisdom. The split of personalities causes resentment because the gap between the earth(normal human beings) and the sky(People like Buddha) is unbridgeable. The seed of the flower within the artist hasn't fully blossomed yet.

Great poets, great writers, or great men don't mean that they are self-actualized persons. They have grown great in only one dimension of their life. The rest of the dimensions are still undeveloped. They are not total human beings. Buddha, Krishna, Mahavira, etc. are total human beings. They have lived their life in totality. When Buddha attained enlightenment, he went to Kashi to share his insights with them. The king of Kashi came for a visit and was astonished by his aura. He told him that you have nothing other than a begging bowl and still, you look like a king. I have all the materialistic things within my reach and still, I look like a beggar compared to you. "What is the source of your power?", asked the king.

Buddha replied that the power is within you. You have lost contact with your inner being while pursuing materialistic things. Dive deep within yourself and reclaim your power. The sign of a spiritually enlightened person is he carries a flame of light within himself. Wherever he goes, he will ignite the light within others. You start feeling good when you are around them. You will be mesmerized by the bliss emanating from them.

Does the question arise in your mind of how to become a self-actualized person?

A self-actualized person is always centered. He is aware of the center and makes it a permanent abode. Some people think that the center is in their heads, for others it is in their hearts. According to me, a center is an energy that keeps our body alive and connects us with others. It makes us feel that we are not separate entities but a part of one whole. A center is an energy that observes my thoughts as if I am looking at a person from a distance.

Every wheel has a center that keeps it moving. A center can exist without a wheel but a wheel can't exist without a center. Similarly, a soul can exist without a body but a body can't be alive without it. Living in the present moment is the most arduous thing in the universe. A person who is centered is living in the moment. He is aware of all the thoughts that are crossing his mind. He is not in a reactive state. He is looking at the thoughts without any judgment.

Self-actualization is the oxygen for the soul. Brian Johnson

The mood of a person fluctuates with the qualities of the thoughts. The thoughts arise in the mind with respect to a stimulus like external events. A person who is centered moves beyond his thoughts. He is a passive watcher of thoughts. He becomes more than his thoughts. External events have no influence over him. He becomes blissful, peaceful, and silent.

A self-actualized person lives a balanced life. It's easy to live at the extremes. Normally, we can either do too much or do nothing at all. Buddha preached the middle way for his entire life. A balanced person knows the right amount for him. Moderation is the key to a happy life. It can be understood through an example of sleep. Sleeping only for two hours will make a person insane within a few months. Sleeping for twelve hours a day will make a person lazy. Sleep of eight hours a day is an average value for a normal human being. It's not the quantity but the quality that is important. A balanced person stays around the normal value.

In the modern world, majority of the people are struggling with sleep. Even if everything is working fine, still they are not getting quality sleep. Having a good sleep during the night will increase productivity many times the following day. Moon breathing is a technique that will help you to get a night of quality sleep. It consists of breathing through the left nostrils for three to ten minutes before going to sleep.

The main steps of moon breathing are:

1. Relax and sit comfortably with your back straight. Rest your palm on your left knee.

2. Close your right nostril with the help of your right thumb and take a deep breath through the left nostril.

3. Hold your breath and close your left nostril with the help of a right ring finger. Take a small pause. Release the right thumb and exhale gently through the right nostril.

4. After complete exhalation, again close your right nostril with the right thumb while releasing the right ring finger from the left nostril.

Repeat the above steps for three to ten minutes before going to sleep. It will help you to get a night of quality sleep. Research has shown that inhaling through the left nostril leads to the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system(PNS). It regulates the automatic body functions such as heart rate, metabolism, and body temperature.

The sympathetic nervous system activates the fight and flight mode whereas the parasympathetic system activates the rest and digest mode which keeps you calm and stress-free. When you lie down on a bed after a stressful and tiring day. Left nostril breathing will activate the parasympathetic nervous system that helps you to fall asleep faster and better.

Go toward self-actualization rather than self-image actualization… Search within… for honest self- expression. Bruce Lee

A person who is centered and lives a balanced life will always be at ease. He receives everything with a blissful attitude. He becomes soft, polite, calm, and blissful. His mind has a feminine quality. The masculine and the feminine are the two qualities of the mind. A female can have a masculine mind whereas a male can have a feminine mind. A masculine mind is very dominant, aggressive, and full of anger. A feminine mind is very soft, receptive, caring, patient, and full of love.

Goodhart's law says that when the measure becomes a target then it ceases to be a good measure. Don't force yourself to become soft, polite, and receptive. Feminine qualities are the byproduct of centered and a balanced life. Be more centered and live a balanced life. The divinity will descend over you. You become like a Buddha. You have a potentiality that can be made actual.

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