Max Palmer

The Border of Chaos and Order

There is a startup principle that the best startups operate right on the border of chaos and order. Things should be chaotic because you're moving fast but not too chaotic that the hinges are falling off. There should be enough order that people have a general direction of where things are headed. But if everything is in order it means you're not moving fast enough.

It's a hard line to balance. Behind the scenes, every startup is a bit of a shitshow.

I've come to believe that you should adopt this principle for your life as well. If everything is in order in life then you're not doing enough. You're not involved in enough activities, social outings, or responsibilities. You need to get busy.

It's a good thing to be a bit chaotic. To be constantly moving from one thing to the next. It means you're taking life by the horns and really living it. So get busy.