The Reality of Living in a Web
A system depends on conditions outside its boundaries. Identify the external resources and institutions that support it, monitor changes, and consider where you can help sustain them.
THE IDEA
The Reality of Living in a Web
Too much of any one external factor can effectively kill a system. If you think about the narrow range of temperatures that humans can exist in, compared to all the possible temperatures that exist in our solar system, you can appreciate that significant change in external factors like light, air quality, etc. can devastate the stability of an ecosystem. So too with any business. External stability is important for overall success. Even if you can’t control the external factors, you must pay attention to them. In order to have customers you need a large pool of people with enough money to buy your product. In order to run an office, you need a stable economic environment and tax system. In order to have employees, you need a strong education system that teaches the skills you require, and an urban structure that allows people to live a satisfying life on the income you provide. If we love our system, we must also do what we can to influence the external factors that are required to keep our system going.
When to use it
A startup founder mapping out all external dependencies (market demand, regulatory environment, talent availability) before launching.
A city planner ensuring that housing, transportation, and education systems support local businesses.
An environmental scientist studying the impact of climate change on a sensitive ecosystem.
A policymaker designing regulations that provide stability for businesses while protecting public goods.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Ecosystem Stability
An ecosystem depends on environmental conditions such as temperature, light, and air quality. Changes beyond the organisms’ tolerances can disrupt its stability.
Business Dependencies
A business requires a stable economy, a tax system, an educated workforce, and urban infrastructure to thrive. If any of these external factors fail, the business is at risk.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
What external factors does your business or project depend on for stability?
How can you influence or monitor these external factors to mitigate risk?
Consider a time when an external change disrupted your plans. Could you have anticipated it?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- The Great Mental Models Volume 2 Physics, Chemistry and Biology