The great convergence
For every unique insight I have harbored, and every early idea I have stumbled upon, I have found that the world eventually catches up.
There is a converging point in the collective consciousness where the obscure becomes ubiquitous. An easy example is the internet or mobile devices; both were once considered novelties, yet today they are largely pedestrian. There is comfort in this, as it suggests that if a perspective is true, it is also inevitable.
If you are early, you can rest knowing it is only a matter of time before the world feels the vibration you already feel. If you are wrong, you can find peace in the inevitability of the truth eventually making itself known to you.
If you’re early, you might feel alone. Truly. It’s worth acknowledging the quiet of being the only one in the room who sees it. But that isolation is simply the tax you pay for a vantage point, the clear-eyed privilege. Enjoy it.
When you’re late, it becomes more important to understand the conditions that created the early adopters’ conviction. You aren’t just looking at the trend; you are reverse-engineering the signal. Being late is an exercise in humility. It requires you to look back at the “silence” you missed and ask what was vibrating in the air before the roar began.
Whether you arrive early to find the advantage or late to find the lesson, the destination is the same. This is deeply comforting, because what is true is simply true. That’s enough for me.
This post was inspired by intentional listens to this tune: