Imagine this. As you move through the world, you leave behind a trail. A thin, glowing line extends behind you wherever you go. This line never stops. You wake up, go to the bathroom, have coffee, get ready for work, take the metro, go to the office, then return home. If you visualize it, you can almost see this glowing path weaving through your home, onto the train, and into your workplace.
Now, imagine everyone has this trail. Look around, and you can almost see the paths they leave behind.
Reality Knots: Where Paths Intersect
If you live alone, your trails at home are only yours. You can clearly track where you have been and where you are headed. But outside, it’s different. Trails fill the space. Some are distant, spread across the city, rarely intersecting. Others cluster together, forming dense knots in specific places. Offices, clubs, cafes, restaurants, theaters, bookstores, universities, and hospitals are all examples.
These are reality knots. They are places where different lives intersect before diverging again.
The Moment of Realization
I realized this while riding a crowded bus. People enter, stay for a short while, then move on in all directions. We converge, then separate, each following our own path. That is when it struck me. No one really thinks about these reality knots, yet they have a massive impact on our future lives.
If you traced your trail from birth until now, you would pinpoint the knots that shaped your life. These are the places you visited, the people you met, and the moments that altered your course and led you to this very moment, reading this text.
But your trail is not finished. You are still leaving one, encountering many more knots whether you realize it or not.
How to Make Reality Knots Work for You
The question is: How do you make these reality knots work for you instead of against you?
It is simple. Choose your knots wisely. Attend the ones where the trails of others align with your goals.
The Nightclub vs. The Racing Event
Consider a nightclub. Many people meet there, drink, have fun, and leave. The next day, everyone returns to their normal lives. You’ll likely never see them again. How does this knot affect you? Maybe you blew off steam, but otherwise it changed nothing. The people there aren’t moving toward your goals, nor do they share your vision. The knot didn’t help you. Sure, chance encounters sometimes matter, but we’re not optimizing for luck. We’re optimizing for control.
Now, let’s say you want to be the best race car driver in the world. Would it make more sense to attend a networking event for nuns or go to a racing event where professionals and enthusiasts gather? You get the idea.
Choosing the Right Knots for Your Goals
To reach your ideal future, fill your life with knots where people are already moving toward similar goals.
- Want to be an entrepreneur? Go to startup events.
- Want to be a chef? Take chef courses, visit top restaurants, and ask to work there.
- Want to be an astronaut? Study physics and apply to space programs—don’t just play football.
It sounds simple, yet most people spend 99% of their time in knots that don’t align with their goals. The people there haven’t achieved what you want, nor are they trying to.
Digital Reality Knots
Remember, these knots aren’t just physical. They exist online too. Social media groups, videos you watch, even the music you listen to. Your favorite YouTuber is a massive knot, connecting a million trails. The comment section is full of people who think like you—a goldmine of connections you’re probably ignoring.
Mapping Your Past and Future Trails
Look back at your trail. Identify the knots that brought you here. Where did you meet the people who changed your life?
Now look ahead. Where must your trail go to reach your goals? Who walks similar paths? Find those people. Find their gathering places. Immerse yourself in those knots until you arrive where you want to be.