Everything is connected

A wise elder once said, "Everything is connected."

In our modern world, we tend to break everything into isolated parts and problems.

Look around, and you'll see this fragmentation everywhere. In medicine, while specialists excel at treating individual organs, they often miss the body's intricate interconnections. In research, scientists might spend decades studying a single protein or species, potentially losing sight of the broader ecosystem.

The examples are everywhere. In sports, instead of being a general fitness trainer, some coaches focus solely on NFL quarterback mechanics or Olympic butterfly stroke technique. In technology, developers might specialize in optimizing just one specific type of database query or securing IoT devices for smart homes.

In academia, researchers might dedicate their entire careers to studying a single protein's behavior or the mating habits of one species of deep-sea creature. Even in the arts, you'll find guitarists who only restore vintage Les Pauls from 1959, or vocalists who exclusively coach Broadway belt technique.

The culinary world hasn't escaped this trend either. Some chefs become masters of just sushi rice preparation, while others focus entirely on French macarons or traditional Naples-style pizza dough. There are even professional chocolate tasters whose palates are calibrated to detect subtle variations in single-origin cacao.

Specialization has its rewards. Instead of being a general accountant, you might become an expert in handling engineering firms. Instead of teaching swimming to everyone, you could focus on senior aquatics. Or take music, for example: rather than being just another YouTube guitar teacher, you could become the world’s most intense guitar geek—like Rick Beato, who breaks down everything from jazz theory to why certain songs become hits. Market forces reward niche expertise, nudging us to carve out unique categories—a "blue ocean" where competition vanishes.

But here’s the downside: hyper-specialization can make us lose sight of a fundamental truth. Everything is connected.

"I learned this lesson the hard way. Like many professionals caught in the specialization trap, I fell into a pattern of compartmentalizing my life.

For too long, I fell into this trap in my own life. I separated work from play. As someone driven to make a difference in the world, I threw myself into productivity—studying psychology, developing learning theories, crafting curricula, writing books, lesson plans, marketing strategies—the works. I was the classic overachiever. And in the process, I forgot how to have fun.

But everything is connected.

The more I focused on work and sidelined play, the more depleted I became. Skipping trips to museums, cutting back on fiction, and rarely seeing live music drained my creative energy. My well had run dry.

Underneath it all, I carried some heavy baggage—old limiting beliefs I hadn’t confronted.

A few years ago, I decided to work with a life coach—something I’d always dismissed as too “touchy-feely.” But during a course, one coach’s insights hit me like a lightning bolt. His name? Michael Feeley (he,him) How funny is that? A guy named Feeley helped me feel again. I worked with him for ten weeks to unpack those limiting beliefs, and the results were life-changing.

While I’d always felt good about my work and purpose, I realized something was still holding me back. Over those weeks, I began to feel lighter, freer.

I saw that I’d denied myself simple joys. As a composer, guitarist, and singer, I hadn’t performed on stage in nearly 30 years—except to support my students at recitals. Then, out of the blue, I joined a blues rock band. For the past year and a half, I’ve been performing again. And I’ve loved every minute of it.

Like Joy from Pixar’s?Inside Out, happiness re-entered my life. Reconnecting with this side of myself has transformed everything—my business, my family life, and even my health.

I also rediscovered fiction. For years, I only read novels during beach vacations. How ridiculous! I love Dean Koontz! His suspenseful stories deserve a spot in my life year-round.

I recently tried something new: an Alexander Technique lesson. This practice, well-known in dance and acting circles, teaches a profound integration of body and mind. Everything is connected!

In just one session, I became aware of how my posture was triggering issues like plantar fasciitis, tendonitis, and bursitis. The lesson was a revelation—another reminder that everything truly is connected.

So here’s my invitation to you: take a 10,000-foot view of your life. Step back and connect the dots. Too often, we get bogged down in daily details and miss the bigger picture—the intricate web that ties it all together.

1. When you recognize these connections, you’ll notice immediate benefits:
2. Reduced stress
3. Greater ease and efficiency as you find synergies and accomplish multiple goals with a single action
4. A baseline of joy that rises naturally

Greater success in your main pursuits

Stop compartmentalizing and start integrating. When you zoom out to see the connections, the truly urgent fades, leaving what’s genuinely important and meaningful.

Happy holidays, and may the new year bring you joy, fulfillment, and deep connection.

Warmly,

Andrew Ingkavet