Inflection Points

Monday, July 24th, 2023

In dynamic systems, we are all hunting for inflection points.

Whether in narratives or investment returns, inflection points are exciting and represent some dramatic shift in the outcomes.

It's why plot twists and level ups hook us in movies and games.

Arguably, on life's linearity, most of us are scanning the horizons to finding inflection points.

I have been thinking about what those points are in the game of life (and if most of these inflection points are mirages), as well as how to bend the curve to my own liking.

However, inflections can't exist in a vacuum. They come from some change, and are either random or determined.

Here are some of the things I have been thinking about with regards to inflection points:

This mix of forces contribute to inflections; and inflection contribute to each one of those.

How do we get the appropriate mix of high-signal inputs that allow us to cultivate each one of these?

First, starting definitions.

Inflections (Inflection Points)

These are changes in slope.

Something has occurred to alter the rate of change and trajectory of life.

Our career takes off. Our income sources. Our freedom increases.

Some inflection point typically due or attributed at least to some change.

Reflections

These are often precursors to the Inflection Points.

It can be reflecting on some exogenous event, the past, some inner-world that has gone far too long without inspection.

Reflection often then results in some kind of decision to make a change.

It is largely a function of the time we spend (a week versus 30 seconds); the environment (total silence in the mountains versus the same old home office); subject (death in the family or one's own impending death vs a jumble of regular thoughts); mental state (seeking meaning vs distracted).

Reflection can also be part of a more subliminal practice, as in the case of meditation. Meditation is a means of achieving reflections.

Distinctions

Being able to make distinctions, especially differentiating distinctions, can help one identify better signal, but also make use of the signal.

When one has better distinctions than someone else, one's decisions, reflections, and insights differ, even if they have the same inputs.

Being a connoisseur of fine distinctions (what is useful, what is not; who is worthy of relationship, who is not; what is important right now and what is not) is important to find hidden paths and discover earned secrets.

Inspirations

This is foremost a type of input that we don't often have enough of.

Inspirations give energy and literal breath-of-life in a stagnant life. It's wind that fills the sails that course-corrects a ship.

But, it can also be a guiding-light for one's outputs: are the choices we make and the work we produce inspired? It's sort of lofty to give oneself that label, but we can produce work that comes from inspiration and turn away from the work that, for too long, dulls our soul.

Inceptions

We can be incepted. And it's worth being aware when it happens. Perhaps it's something we want so that we can experience inflection. The x-pilled phenomenon of your choice is an example of being incepted that then can change the arc of your career and life.

At the same time, filling oneself with enough of these phenomenon can enable us to incept others.

And that may be necessary and a part of hitting a personal inflection point.

Convictions

Nothing happens to change the slope, especially from downward to upward, than building a conviction.

Life without conviction is one tossed to and fro by the waves.

It's neither inspiring nor capable of incepting anyone else.

But when one makes clearer or different distinctions, then building courage to conviction packs the rocket fuel.

My newsletter purpose

Maybe the vision or mission of the newsletter, outside of just keeping in touch with the people I meet in some marginally useful way, is to help people hit their own Inflection Points while I try to pursue and navigate my own.

In this way, high quality signal that is dense, uncorrelated, and insightful maybe the right input.

Most newsletters are purpose built for a specific topic area.

I'm wondering, however, whether Inflection Points more likely come from a loose federation of high-impact signal that forces us to make our own mental models to connect to their relevance.

There's value in the rolled-dice itself knowing it's playing the same game for each individual's shared objective function: more inflection points faster.