Years ago I read about experiments scientists conducted to understand how individual grains of sand, dropped one at a time, create both stable and unstable patterns. Precise modeling programs on computers now save the drudgery of dropping individual grains of sand, but the information they give us is fascinating and helpful, as proven out by the experiments at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York.
At first, as each grain of sand is dropped, the pile is very stable (in their computer model the scientists at Brookhaven color these stable patterns green.) As the pile grows, some areas of the pile begin to grow steeper and thus more unstable (colored red.) When a grain of sand falls on a red area eventually it will cause a collapse of the steep unstable area. This collapse can be small or large and timing cannot be precisely predicted.
When there are large, interconnected unstable fingers throughout the pile, it is far more likely (not surprising) that one additional grain of sand can cause a huge collapse of the sand pile. The larger the collapse, the more stable the sand pile then becomes.
This has proven to be true not only with piles of sand, but with, for example, earthquakes, weather disasters, financial upheaval, epidemics and traffic jams as well. Stability creates instability causing collapse, resulting in greater stability once again.
The reason I bring this up is that the proverbial sandpile (a combination of social, health, financial and eco-systems) have been flashing increasingly “RED” over the last couple of years.
As these unstable patterns result in small collapses, often precipitated by institutional failures, social policy failures and leadership failures, the frustration and rising dissatisfaction brings with it the demand for rapid geopolitical, financial, media, technology, political and culture change.
As this all intensifies, the unstable interconnected fingers grow and eventually we get cataclysmic collapse. Remember we can’t predict exactly when or the severity, or the length of the disruption. It is much easier to see all of this in retrospect. (The U.S Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Great Depression, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Great Recession of 2008-2010.)
We have many imbalances now, not a few of which we have pointed out in our newsletters. Problems are made worse by poor leadership decisions, greedy and corrupt financial and business behaviors, and frustrated reactions of those who have been shut out from sharing in the financial bounty from our growing economy.
High self-awareness among a country’s citizenry can slow and minimize the collapse of the “sand pile”, and high self-awareness can speed the re-establishment of stability and prosperity to its economy. Our online course, 5 Steps to Elevate Your Career, Professional and Personal Success is a great place to start. Click <HERE> to enroll in our course, or call us with any questions you my have about the course. Remember, a single discovery can change everything for you, and this course will provide you multiple discoveries.
Tom Searcy, Board Certified Coach
Spirit of Eagles
574-850-9912
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