Winning with Nuclear Fusion, a New Metaphor
September 27, 2009 by katemckeon · 18 Comments
Winning with Nuclear Fusion
Thursday evening I ended up in a conversation about nuclear fusion, not a subject I know much about, but I have a vague understanding . . . that got me thinking about what it takes to launch a business, or learn a new skill since both of those activities require an extraordinary amount of energy upfront.
What is nuclear fusion:
Fusion is the process of combining two nuclei into one larger nucleus. The sun fuses hydrogen nuclei to make helium. It then fuses helium nuclei to make beryllium and then beryllium into lithium.
But where does the energy come from?
Each time two nuclei combine to form one nucleus, a tiny amount of the atoms’ mass is converted into a large amount of energy. Leaning on Einstein here, the amount of energy released is equal to the mass lost times the speed of light squared.
With such a fantastic amount of energy created from such a tiny amount of mass, fusion makes for an amazingly powerful energy source . . . we just haven’t figured out how to do it on Earth.
So what does this have to do with winning / mastery / business?
Everything.
When you start a project whether it be launching a business or creating a winning sports team, you invest significantly more time upfront to get the results you seek. There may be long hours, there is most certainly immense frustration. You struggle to move forward, lurching around like a baby learning how to walk, stumbling this way, stumbling that way until you finally “get it.” You finally learn how to walk because you persist in the stumbling. You finally expend enough energy and enough time that your muscles understand what they are supposed to do when you decide to walk.
How’s this for hyperbole . . .
Sure, you can use the standard comparison that creating success is like the space shuttle launch where 96% of the fuel is used in the first two minutes of launch to get it into orbit so the crew only have 3-4% of the total fuel for hanging out in space for two weeks and flying home …
Or you can upgrade!
But why not use your new knoweldge of fusion and say it’s like creating energy from the sun….
The energy released from the sun is in the form of photons. Those photons travel from the core of the sun to the surface of the sun and ultimately to the surface of the Earth. If you agree that the then you know that the journey from the core of the sun to the surface of the sun will take more energy/more intensity/more time than any other leg of that journey. Since we are measuring photons we measure the time it takes for a photon to travel from the sun’s core to the sun’s surface and then from the sun’s surface to the Earth’s surface.
100,000 to 200,000 years and 8 minutes
How’s that for contrast!
It takes the photons 100,000 to 200,000 years to travel from the core of the sun to the surface of the sun. The photons get bounced around by the gas molecules in the core so their journey is long. Much like creating a winner – be it in business or sport or music or any mastery target. Intense focus on the destination is required.
But once the photon reaches the surface of the sun it takes a mere 8 minutes to reach the surface of the Earth.
Crazy stats on Space Shuttle Fuel and it’s effect on ozone layer written by a Chemical Engineering grad student.
No related posts.
When you start a project whether it be launching a business or creating a winning sports team, you invest significantly more time upfront to get the results you seek.
Boy, isn’t this the truth?
There may be long hours, there is most certainly immense frustration. You struggle to move forward, lurching around like a baby learning how to walk, stumbling this way, stumbling that way until you finally “get it.” You finally learn how to walk because you persist in the stumbling.
Persistance is very, very important.
Thanks for the post!
James Mason
JamesMasonOnline.com/blog
Boy, nothing like getting the brain in gear, late at night.
Cool post!
Jim
BusinessAndMarketingMakeover.com/blog
Great article and the way you used examples really gets ones brain moving.
Vicki http://www.bridalthreadshq.com
Where DOES the energy come from?
tee hee
to start, build, tweak, adjust, and grow my business?
it takes PEETS COFFEE!
great use of metaphor and for making that actually understandable
I didn’t take physics in HS
I took Biology
very cool
Happy Dating and Relationships,
April Braswell
Single Baby Boomer Dating Success Expert
Kate it very refreshing to see someone tell it like it is. The good life is not easy
Jose Escalante
http://www.joseescalante.com
Great analogies…. love the business one…. I’ve heard the baby one and use it allot…
http://www.salesjunkie.net
http://www.scottpayne.me
Excellent analogies!
Keep on keepin’ on!
Bert (alter ego- Mister P)
MisterP.org/blog
That is some amazing stuff. I like the analogy to starting a business. It gives me hope.
Steve Chambers
Business to Business Sales Trainer
Wow, that was good. Kate, wonderful, informative, motivational post.
Health, Fitness for Working People — Darryl Pace
Got me thinking about fractels, and all the worlds inside other worlds. Teams are fun to work in inside and out.
Keri Eagan
Anything Alternative
Our bodies are full of energy and we have more control that people think as to our ability to direct that energy, harness, and achieve almost anything.
Great post as usual.
Jennifer
The Harwood Center – Tinnitus, Chronic Illness, Fears, and Anxiety
I have lots of energy most of the time, but I don’t use it on business. I know I should. let me check out more about that nuclear fusion stuff, maybe that will help.
Lisa McLellan
Child Care Expert,
Babysitting Services, Babysitting Tips, Babysitters, Nannies
Can you imagine what energy we have in our bodies. If only we could tap into it.
Just imagine the energy we hold in our bodies.
“The cost of burning the fuel is worth floating in the anti-gravitational orbit.”
“Producing content fuels your launch into the galaxy of business.”
Greg Dougall, Future Space Pilot
Getting a team together to help develops a synergistic effect.
Robert Martin
http://www.carbuyinghq.com
Scientists also believe that “energy can neither be created or destroyed” – just transformed. So, one way or another, all we have to do is harness the energy that’s all around us.
Easier said than done! I could do with some more energy right now – I’m at the stage of “There may be long hours, there is most certainly immense frustration. You struggle to move forward, lurching around like a baby learning how to walk, stumbling this way, stumbling that way until you finally “get it.” You finally learn how to walk because you persist in the stumbling”!
http://www.martin-wright.com
Finding a bunch of other molecular businesses and working together with them is also helpful…
Seize the Day,
Rob
Sales Tactics For Small Business Owners