Domino is a game in which a player sets down dominoes that have a value of one to six dots or spots. Each domino is a rectangular block with either blank or numbered ends. The most common domino sets consist of 28 tiles, although larger ones are available for games that involve several players or for people who prefer a longer game. Several types of domino games exist, including blocking games and scoring games. A domino can be arranged in straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures, stacked walls, or 3-D structures.
Dominoes are a symbol of power and strength because they are built up with many small, simple parts. The smallest domino can cause the greatest effect when it falls over. The same is true in life: one small victory can spark a chain reaction, helping you achieve your goals. I call these victories “domino actions.” A domino action is a single high leverage action that triggers a series of follow-up actions. For example, Admiral William H. McRaven, the commander of US Pacific Fleet, says that he makes his bed every morning—one of the most powerful domino actions he takes.
When Hevesh sets up a mind-blowing domino setup, she follows a version of the engineering-design process. She starts by considering the theme or purpose of the installation and brainstorms images or words that might fit. Next, she considers the layout and determines how many dominoes she will need to complete it. Finally, she tests out the arrangement to see how it works.
Hevesh also knows that the key to her success is to take it slow. When she first started her business, she placed her pizza-delivery trucks near college campuses, where she knew her customer base would be. This strategy helped her company grow quickly.
When she was growing her business, Hevesh also learned to delegate and prioritize tasks. She would rank each day’s tasks by importance and then focus her efforts on the most important task first. This strategy allowed her to achieve more in a day, but also gave her the time to enjoy the little things, like spending quality time with her family.
This type of delegated and prioritized approach is a key to productivity, and it’s something that all writers should practice. I encourage my clients to create a “domino list” of their most important tasks for each day, then decide how to best allocate their time to accomplish those tasks. For me, that means setting aside an hour in the morning to make my bed and a half-hour at night to write my latest article.
If you’re interested in learning more about domino, check out the online version of the Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. The encyclopedia contains articles on a variety of topics, from the Big Bang to nuclear physics. It also includes an article on the Domino Effect, which explains how one domino can knock over many others. The encyclopedia has many links to other online resources on the subject as well, making it a great source of information.