Dominoes are small rectangular blocks with a blank or identically patterned face on one side and an arrangement of dots resembling those on dice on the other. A domino is usually twice as long as it is wide. A set of these small blocks contains 28 pieces. Dominoes are used to play games in which a player places a domino edge to edge against another, causing the latter to fall over and start a chain reaction. People also use the individual dominoes to make artistic arrangements in their homes and to create domino rallies.
A physicist tells us that when you pick up a domino and hold it upright, it stores potential energy due to the force of gravity. When the first domino falls, much of this energy is converted to kinetic energy, the energy of motion, and some of that energy is transmitted to the next domino in line, providing the push it needs to toppled over. This process continues until all the dominoes have fallen.
Despite their size, dominoes are very similar to neurons in our bodies. Just like a neuron, each domino has the ability to store and transmit energy at a constant speed. The energy is transferred through a pathway that is specific to the type of domino that is struck. This is why each domino needs to be in a precise position to trigger the response and begin the chain reaction.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from composing and editing manuscripts for other authors is to consider each “domino” in your story. Each event that happens, from the most significant to the most trivial, is a potential part of your plot. When you think of each event as a “domino,” you will be better prepared to determine which dominoes have the most impact and what kind of push they need to tip over.
When you’re deciding what tasks to prioritize in your day, try to identify good dominoes—tasks that contribute to a larger goal. You might find that completing a difficult task, such as creating a financial plan, will have an effect on many other aspects of your life. The domino effect is a common idiom, meaning that once one thing begins to fall, it can be hard to stop it. This is the reason that when you’re preparing for a big event, it’s a good idea to do everything you can to get ahead of it, like contacting vendors or buying tickets before it’s too late. In this way, you can avoid having to deal with the last-minute chaos that often results when things go wrong. This is why it’s so important to have a strong support system. It can help you keep your cool and deal with adversity in a healthy, productive manner.