The Invisible Foot - the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

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I have spent a ridiculous amount of time and effort creating the most optimal sleeping conditions for my son. He sleeps alone, in his room with blackout curtains, the aircon adjusted to 26 degrees at fan speed 2, and two sound machines so that we can play a lullaby and background white noise at the same time. There are 3 security blankets in his cot, so that when he rolls around at night, he'll always be able to find one.

For the most part, it works. But here's the problem - he can't sleep anywhere else that isn't as well optimised. Not at school, not at my parent's place, and probably not at a hotel (if we ever take a trip).

The invisible foot is about the unintended consequences of an action or decision. I set out to create a nice sleeping environment for him so that he could sleep well (and by extension, I could sleep well). Now I fear that I've spoiled him too much.

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If you've ever taken an economics class, you've probably heard about Adam's Smith's "invisible hand" - the concept that when individuals pursue their own self interest in a free market, they will unintentionally end up doing things that benefit society anyway.

But have you heard about the invisible foot?

The invisible foot is about the unintended consequences of an action or decision. For example let's look at rent control policies. These are often implemented to keep housing affordable. However, landlords may find it unprofitable to run rental properties, and skimp on other parts such as maintenance in order to make more money. The result? A decrease in overall housing quality in the long term.

In our pursuit of positive change, we often overlook the "invisible foot" — the unintended consequences of well-intentioned actions. So, let's tread carefully, acknowledge that even the best intentions can have unintended outcomes, and constantly evaluate decisions in order to identify issues, and remain adaptable in addressing them.

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So how will I evaluate or fix the possible unintended consequence of my son's over-optimised sleeping environment? Well, I've started by turning off the sound machine some nights. Let's see how it goes from there, wish me luck (and good sleep).