How Will You Measure Your Life?

“Just Because You Have Feathers”

For centuries, humans have wanted to fly like birds. Early would-be aviators strapped on feathered contraptions and – flapping wildly – often fell to their deaths. Then, in 1738, mathematician Daniel Bernoulli published a book on fluid mechanics explaining the concept of lift as applied to flight. It turns out that the correlation between flight and wings means little compared to the causality of flight. Birds don’t fly because they have wings. Birds fly because they instinctively use the “if-then” theory: If they flap their wings in a certain way, then their bodies lift upward and they fly.

The concept of analyzing issues in if-then terms is a solid business theory that can work in your personal life as well. To prove that you can trust it, a theory must explain “what causes things to happen – and why.” Business theories are valid if they work consistently and apply universally. Firms can use the if-then approach to define issues and opportunities, anticipate future challenges and predict the specific actions they will need to take to handle problems as they arise. Individuals can apply this process to assess and manage personal and...