What is the natural state of the universe? If we were to stand still and do nothing, what affect does that have on the universe?

Entropy

To answer the question above, we must look to physics. The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of the universe is increases. What is entropy? In simple terms, entropy is the amount of disorder. If you were to sum up all the chaos in the universe and assign a number to it, this number will get bigger over time.

The reason for this increase of disorder is that the universe is expanding. Without turning this into a physics lesson, we can extrapolate some very practical conclusions here. I will attempt to outline some of these principles below.

Personal Growth

Let’s look at personal growth and development. If you are not growing, then you are shrinking. There is no standing still. This is because the universe is expanding around you. To combat this, one must constantly learn new skills all the time. There are many ways to do this: taking classes, reading, exploring, challenging yourself intellectually, physically, etc.

Growing internally means you are part of the universe around you and will not disappear with time.

Financial Markets

This principle of expansion is very true for the financial markets. Our current financial system works on the premise of growth: inflation, credit and debt increase, fiat currency, are all different words for the same phenomenon – entropy.

It is important to allocate time and energy in investing for financial growth. If not, the buying power of your money will depreciate with time.

Efficiency

To be increasingly productive over time, one needs to increase efficiency. Efficiency is different from productivity. I can be productive with my time by filling it with tasks and keeping myself busy. But if I am more efficient, it means that I can accomplish more in less time.

 

The core message here is quite simple: invest in yourself for personal growth.