What does physics have to do with behavior?

My dad was no scientist, but he loved to discuss physics. He taught me to see physics in the world and its consequences. He showed me what happens when we obey physics and when we violate it. Most of all, he taught me to understand physics, to trust them, and to use them for excellence.

Because the physics my dad loved to discuss was the physics of behavior and people in groups.

Just as our physical universe operates according to physics, so does the behavior of people and teams. We can observe and articulate it, and if we’re disciplined, we can organize and harness it. Maybe not as thoroughly as we have with traditional physics, but more than we have so far.

Like traditional physics, physics in behavior does not depend on our understanding, does not care about our preferences, and will not wait for our approval. They exert their force without or without our awareness.

Sir Isaac Newton formulated his Three Laws of Motion in the late 17th century but did not create them. They’ve always existed. They operated for eternity before him. He revealed their mechanics, their universality, and their permanence. Then, he articulated them in a way that allowed more people to understand them.

I’m writing this on a plane flying 31,428 feet above the Earth. That’s possible because of Newton’s understanding and how we’ve turned it into practical value. The Laws of Motion were always there, but air travel was beyond our grasp until we understood and aligned with them. It wasn’t impossible. It was beyond our grasp.

People studied the physics and then built machines. They studied the physics and learned to fly them. They studied physics and learned to fly higher, farther, and faster.

And now? 

It’s safer to fly than drive. You can reach anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours. Most planes have WiFi and endless entertainment on-demand.

And how have passengers responded?

They complain more than ever.

The physics don’t change.

Tomorrow, I’ll return to Newton’s Three Laws of Motion and reveal what they tell us about the physics of human behavior.

Brick by brick. Do the work.