Dominoes are a type of game played with wooden or plastic playing pieces. Usually made of a rectangle divided by a line, each domino has one to six spots, called pips. These are either blank or printed with numbers, and each domino can be used in multiple games. The game of dominoes has roots in China.
The game is sometimes played in cafes and restaurants in both the United States and Europe. It can be played with two people or more and is a fun way to bring friends and family together.
In the United States, it is often played with a set of 12 or 18 dominoes. Each domino has a number from one to six and can be used in multiple ways.
When a domino is tipped over, it begins a chain reaction that travels down the line of dominoes. The resulting pulse is very fast and does not lose energy as it moves, much like a nerve impulse in the brain.
It has been known for some time that one tiny nudge can push an unmoving domino to the tipping point, and this is how a professional domino artist like Lily Hevesh can create spectacular displays with hundreds of thousands of dominoes.
She uses a technique that lets her arrange dozens of dominos on end in long lines, and when the first domino is knocked over, it causes the other dominoes to start to fall. This process is called the domino effect, and it is a powerful psychological principle.
Using this concept as a mental model for your business strategy
The domino effect is a powerful mental model to use when developing your next big business idea. It can help you avoid the “flash in the pan” syndrome that so many businesses experience, and it will help you keep the momentum going until you can complete your project successfully.
This mental model is also a great way to build momentum for an initiative that you may be excited about, but that has been slow to gain traction with your team. It can be as simple as scheduling a meeting with that new vendor you have been talking to or writing a one-page brief about your new product.
You can even go so far as to assign high-level objectives to specific members of your team, and then assign them highly-specific, bite-sized tasks that they can accomplish over the course of a week or month. Then, make it a habit to follow up with them on a regular basis to check in and see how they are progressing.
By focusing on the small, manageable tasks that will give your new initiative the best chance of success, you will build a momentum that can be leveraged for future growth. This will allow you to develop your business faster and more efficiently.
This is the same mental model that helps Lily Hevesh create her incredible domino creations, and it can be applied to your own business strategy as well. It is a simple idea, but it can have powerful consequences for your business.