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A surprising systems lesson from my dislocated elbow

Niki Torres
Niki Torres
— 1 min read

I dislocated my elbow, and it taught me a surprising lesson about systems.

In early October, I dislocated my elbow, a painful (and humbling) reminder of how much we rely on things quietly working in the background.

Suddenly, the little things I took for granted became a struggle:

  • Tying my hair
  • Carrying a cup of coffee
  • Typing with two hands

It’s been a lesson in patience and a reminder of how important every piece of a system is.

When something breaks, whether it’s an elbow or a process, it throws everything off. You’re left scrambling to compensate, leaning on other parts (or people) to pick up the slack.

Here’s what this experience taught me about systems:

  • Good systems keep things running smoothly.
  • Great systems help you recover when things go sideways.

And yes, I’m counting down the days until I can tie my hair without assistance—a small but essential part of my system.

What about you? Have you ever had something break, at work or in life, that made you rethink your systems?

BlogSystem Thinking
Niki Torres

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