Domino, a flat thumb-sized rectangular block, normally bearing from one to six pips or dots on each side: 28 such pieces make up a domino set. Known by many nicknames, including bones, cards, men, and tiles, these little blocks can build long rows of lines or be knocked over to create an exciting chain reaction.
As Hevesh sets her mind-blowing domino installations, she considers the theme or purpose of the piece before she begins. She also brainstorms images or words that may be appropriate to use in the design. Finally, she lays out the first domino and begins placing others around it.
When Hevesh pushes the last domino into place, she’s not just completing a carefully thought out domino design, she’s launching an experiment in physics. Each unmoving domino has inertia—a tendency to resist motion unless a force is applied. Once a domino is knocked over, however, much of its potential energy converts to kinetic energy, or the energy of motion. This kinetic energy is transmitted to the next domino and provides the push it needs to fall. Then the next, and the next, until the entire setup is brought down in a spectacular cascade.
The same principle can be applied to our personal lives. We often start small and then, like dominoes falling one by one, we begin to change the way we think and act. For example, when Jennifer Dukes Lee started making her bed each day, she began to believe it was an important part of her identity as a responsible adult. This new belief, in turn, influenced other parts of her life, such as getting organized and keeping her home clean.
This type of domino effect is what makes the book The Domino Effect so fascinating and compelling to read. In fact, it’s the same principle that allows a story to develop in such a smooth action, with each scene building seamlessly into the big climax. To do this successfully, it’s essential to get all the plot beats in place before you start placing them on the board.
As you can see, this can be a daunting task. Luckily, there are some tools available to help you along the way. One of the most useful is a domino diagram, which helps you visualize the chain reaction and identify potential problems before they occur.
Another tool is a spreadsheet, which can be used to calculate the total number of dominoes that need to be laid in order to achieve your goal. This can help you determine how much time and effort it will take to reach your destination, as well as identify any unforeseen obstacles that may arise. With these tools at hand, you can be sure that your domino effect will go off without a hitch.