Last Updated on October 22, 2024 by Connor Prendergast
What getting scalded by a hot shower taught me…
That experience and 1 book I bought at an airport changed how I see the world.
Years ago I got in a new shower and turned on the water. There were no fancy controls so I waited. Still too cold so I turned it up.
You know where this is going…
A few seconds go by and it’s still a little chilly and I turn it up again.
So much better.
Then suddenly f*&^%ck, it’s hotter than the sun.
I jumped to the side, turned it down, and started again with a little more patience. Come on, I know I’m not the only one.
Right after that, I bought a book walking through an airport. A really smart friend recommended it.
And after that flight, I never saw the world or that shower experience in the same way.
The book: The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge.
It’s about a big amazing concept called a Learning Organization. But what really changed my worldview…
Systems thinking.
Everything we experience in our life is part of an interconnected system. Many in fact.
The shower is a system but the feedback of temperature was delayed. Misinterpreting that led me to overreact.
Ouch.
Our lives are governed by systems.
Once you start to understand this, you see these patterns everywhere.
And once you start seeing and understanding these patterns, you can exert control where things felt random before.
These patterns can help you control:
Work
Conflict
Relationships
Building a business
Almost anything.
So check out that book and learn about systems thinking.
You’ll be amazed at what you can see.
–
Has any book ever changed your worldview?
