0 saved
10K views
Remember Activation Energy and how it's hard to get started or overcome that ...
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Haec dicuntur fortasse ieiunius; Nihil opus est exemplis hoc facere longius. Omnes enim iucundum motum, quo sensus hilaretur. An hoc usque quaque, aliter in vita?
Idem iste, inquam, de voluptate quid sentit? Sedulo, inquam, faciam. Sin tantum modo ad indicia veteris memoriae cognoscenda, curiosorum. Quid ad utilitatem tantae pecuniae? Deque his rebus satis multa in nostris de re publica libris sunt dicta a Laelio. An vero displicuit ea, quae tributa est animi virtutibus tanta praestantia?
Cur tantas regiones barbarorum pedibus obiit, tot maria transmisit? Duo Reges: constructio interrete. Similiter sensus, cum accessit ad naturam, tuetur illam quidem, sed etiam se tuetur; Quo modo? Mihi vero, inquit, placet agi subtilius et, ut ipse dixisti, pressius. Cuius quidem, quoniam Stoicus fuit, sententia condemnata mihi videtur esse inanitas ista verborum. Aliter enim nosmet ipsos nosse non possumus. Aliena dixit in physicis nec ea ipsa, quae tibi probarentur; Conferam tecum, quam cuique verso rem subicias;
- Discover what Activation Energy levels get you started
For some people, the beginning of a prod ...
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Atqui eorum nihil est eius generis, ut sit in fine atque extrerno bonorum. Laboro autem non sine causa; Hanc ergo intuens debet institutum illud quasi signum absolvere. Deinde disputat, quod cuiusque generis animantium statui deceat extremum. Portenta haec esse dicit, neque ea ratione ullo modo posse vivi; Duo Reges: constructio interrete.
Alterum significari idem, ut si diceretur, officia media omnia aut pleraque servantem vivere. At quicum ioca seria, ut dicitur, quicum arcana, quicum occulta omnia? An hoc usque quaque, aliter in vita?
Quis enim confidit semper sibi illud stabile et firmum permansurum, quod fragile et caducum sit? Nam de isto magna dissensio est. Paulum, cum regem Persem captum adduceret, eodem flumine invectio? Proclivi currit oratio. Quamquam te quidem video minime esse deterritum.
Catalysts can help to transform a situation faster, but the ingredients for that change must already exist. A catalyst then can’t solve for inadequate preparation or misjudging the broader context.
Another challenge with catalysts is that while theoretically, they do not become reactants, they often will impact on a change, particularly in business and life applications. This needs to be considered when removing catalysts, which might not just slow a change process down, but transform the nature of what is happening.
Examples of economic Catalysts as a business model
The multi-sided platform strategy as described above is best represented by companies such as eBay, Uber and Airbnb. By nature, the development of these businesses often disrupts existing business models. They tend to represent some of the fastest-growing and largest businesses over the last decade.
Social movements.
Many social movements have had a catalyst, a particular event that triggers broader social protests and change. In 1955 when Rosa Parks refused to give her front-row seat up for a white passenger it led to her arrest. This led to a bus boycott and was the ‘spark’ or catalyst for a broader civil rights movement. In more recent times, the tragic killing of George Flloyd by a white police officer was the catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement to gain mainstream coverage and impact.
Catalytic converters in your car.
There are many chemistry examples of catalysts. Perhaps one that will be most familiar is how vehicles use catalytic converters to reduce toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from combustion engines into less-toxic pollutants by catalyzing a redox reaction.
Catalysts as a mental model can apply to a broad range of domains that relate to change.
Use the following examples of connected and complementary models to weave catalysts into your broader latticework of mental models. Alternatively, discover your own connections by exploring the category list above.
Connected models:
- Activation energy: intrinsically tied to the conversation of catalysts.
- The scientific method: as a broader framework and backdrop to the field.
- Butterfly effect: a different model that has some conceptual similarities.
- Leverage: again, different, but similar in that it aims to create a bigger impact from a smaller action.
- Critical mass: as the point at which change happens.
Complementary models:
- Systems vs goals: catalysts can provide a critique of the ‘slow steady’ approach of systems.
- Inversion: consider what might act as a catalyst for change by asking what would prevent it.
- Overton window: events can act as catalysts to shift the Overton window.
The concept of a catalyst can be traced back to Ancient Greece, though the term itself was first used by Scottish chemist Elizabeth Fulhame in her 1794 publication of An Essay on Combustion. See more about her story in this Physics Today article.
See David Evans, Catalyst Code: The Strategies Behind the Most Dynamic Companies for an exploration of economic catalysts.
My Notes
Oops, That’s Members’ Only!
Fortunately, it only costs US$5/month to Join ModelThinkers and access everything so that you can rapidly discover, learn, and apply the world’s most powerful ideas.
ModelThinkers membership at a glance:
“Yeah, we hate pop ups too. But we wanted to let you know that, with ModelThinkers, we’re making it easier for you to adapt, innovate and create value. We hope you’ll join us and the growing community of ModelThinkers today.”
You Might Also Like:
- Actionable summaries of the world's most powerful ideas.
Subscribe now and download this practical guide to transform your thinking, plus recieve one short, powerful and actionable idea in your inbox each month.