Entropy Doesn't Have to Increase

Leadership

I have a few super nerdy friends whose big brains sometimes go beyond what my little nugget can practically understand or apply. So, when one of them discussed the idea of entropy with me, I was left as confused as my dog, Louie, wondering why I hadn't stuffed his face with another treat. But I challenged myself to write about it, so here we go!

Entropy is like energy with nowhere to go. Think about the heat coming off of your car engine. That heat in itself is energy, but the engine is already turning, so with nothing left to do, it just randomly dissipates into the air. The laws of physics say that entropy is always increasing, meaning that energy left alone will constantly move towards unpredictable chaos unless another energy is added to redirect it, use it, or maintain order. Think of your kids, your sock drawer, your priorities, your feelings.

"Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything." (1 John 3:19-20)

Entropy increases in our lives when we let our feelings rule the day and our priorities. Emotions make a great warning system but a terrible GPS. We need plans, structure, and discipline in our lives, or chaos ensues.

If all we ever do all day is what our feelings tell us moment by moment, we will end the day exhausted and completely unproductive - wasted energy. Have a plan, a to-do list, and a structured approach to give time to what’s most important.

If in every conversation, meeting, or conflict we engage in, we allow emotion to drive the car without logic, strategy, and our brains behind the wheel, we crash and burn, leaving a mess to clean up - wasted energy and chaos. Have mental breadcrumbs to follow to keep you calm, thoughtful, your ears fast, and your mouth slow.

If your desk, your home, your car, and your sock drawer are a mess and completely out of sorts, it's highly likely other things in life will be too. Get organized and stay organized.

Facts are far more productive than feelings, and discipline leads to more freedom.

In other words, the more structure you build into your life, the more space you will create to burn off the excess energy in ways that are productive and enjoyable. And the more you use your brain to filter your feelings through truth, the more your actions will produce a life you and God are proud of.

Entropy will always increase until you apply Godly truth, discipline, and action to bring it under control.