The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect is a scientific theory that essentially says that a small change at one place in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere. Originally part of the Chaos Theory, numerous scientists throughout modern history have concluded that this happens even though these systems are deterministic, meaning that their future behavior is fully determined by their initial conditions, with no random elements involved.


In more personal, human terminology, we need to understand that no matter where we are as people today, we arrived at this point as a result of the actions and events that occurred during our lives. Some we are responsible for...some we are not. We are all products of our environment and thus our present and future environment is determined by the how, what, where, when and why we do things and by the things that others people and other environments might do to us. When we choose any particular action, we inadvertently set a series of future events into motion. That is not to say that we have no choice in our destiny, only that everything we have experienced to this point in our lives is responsible for our present condition. “So what?” you might ask.


Do you regret your past? Do you worry about your future? Do you dislike your present situation? You cannot change the past but you can do something about the future. Every time you make a negative statement or do a negative act, you set a chain of events into play that is unstoppable. Negativity is seldom ever forgotten completely by those who witness it. Once you have committed to negativity, be it written, spoken or acted out in a physical way, that negativity will grow and fester, and it will very likely come back to harm you at some time in the future.


Just as negativity can harm you, positivity can help you. Every time you do or say something positive, the constructive value of it will be remembered and it will spread and grow to impact on the environments of others. Ultimately, your positive actions will come back to boost you up in some way and those who were affected positively by them will want to assist you and make your life better. It is a fact that positive energy begets more positive energy and a person who is seen as positive is considered to be of greater value to the human race than someone who is known to be consistently negative.


Whether you are a business leader, an hourly employee, retired or unemployed your actions and your environment got you to where you are today. Once you leave your childhood, family home you are the only person responsible for you. Other than sudden, unexpected events or natural disasters, only your actions and those of the people you choose to associate with will make a difference in your life and your position in the world. Think about that the next time you choose to do something that you know might have negative connotations. Remember it the next time you decide to overlook or condone the negative actions of others. Before you choose to associate with people you know to be of negative character ask yourself if you can avoid or escape from the influence of their negativity. It is up to you to choose which actions you should put into motion in order to create the life you desire.


Don’t regret your past and do not the lament the things you did not do that you might be wishing you had done. It is too late for that. All of the good and bad in your life today came about as a result of the environment you lived in and the things you did in the past. You can change the future by thinking seriously about the things that got you to where you are and then putting different actions into motion from this day forward. The Butterfly Effect can build you up or tear you down. It’s up to you.


All The Best!


Wayne Kehl