In Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, Carlo Rovelli writes, “The fundamental phenomenon that distinguishes the future from the past is the fact that heat passes from things that are hotter to things that are colder.”

Heat is created from the friction of molecules jumping around and bobbing into each other like a kettle of boiling water. The energy that is created - heat - is then transferred from the water into the kettle making it hot to the touch.

Why is this important? Why the science lesson?

Because when we work we are creating a sort of metaphorical friction that creates heat. And if we do work that matters, we’ll be creating so much heat that others will be inspired to pick up where we left off - we are transferring our energy.

If that is all true, we make our future real for us by doing more work that matters - transferring more heat from objects that are hot (our past) to ones that are cold (our dreams for the future).

Time is actually neutral and constant.

It’s what we do with it - the heat we generate and transfer - that matters.

Tip for People Managers: how are you creating the right type of friction on your teams? How are you getting your direct report team to create enough good energy that it spills over to other teams? Are your people doing the work that matters - work that invites more aggressive (and good) friction?