---
title: "What Holds Up Everything You Know?"
date: 2026-09-12
author: "Lex Sisney"
featured_image: "https://organizationalphysics.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/LatticeworkLetsKnowledgeExpand.png"
categories:
  - name: "Life"
    url: "/category/life.md"
---

# What Holds Up Everything You Know?

I came across an insightful image the other day and it stuck with me:

![CircleofKnowledgeAndIgnorance](https://organizationalphysics.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/CircleofKnowledgeAndIgnorance.png)

The core idea is that the black background represents our level of ignorance. When we begin life, or begin a new area of endeavor, our circle of knowledge is very small. As we dive into that field, we develop new skills and understanding, which naturally expands our circle of knowledge. Obvious enough.

But the key point that this image helped dirive home for me is that as our circle of knowledge increases, so does the **surface area** touching all aspects of our ignorance. The more we know, the more our awareness of what we don’t know should expand. It’s quite the paradox.

There’s one addition I’d make to this concept: the latticework holding up your circle of knowledge matters more than the knowledge you acquire.

![LatticeworkLetsKnowledgeExpand](https://organizationalphysics.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/LatticeworkLetsKnowledgeExpand.png)

Think about it. A latticework is what allows something to expand. Without a sound structure supporting your ever-increasing knowledge, the center cannot hold! You’ll take in noise instead of knowledge and risk implosion rather than expansion.

This is why the best mental models are built on first principles: truths that cut across disciplines and boundaries and give you a scalable structure to place new knowledge within.

If you lack such a structure, making sense of new concepts gets harder and harder. If you have one, new knowledge snaps into place. Maybe more importantly, the right mental models let you scythe through what’s real knowledge versus what’s popular nonsense.

Anyway, a good image and concept to share with your kids.

Be humble. :-)

📌 P.S. If you’re building a business and leading a team, the latticework of Organizational Physics can help you understand why things are the way they are and what to do next. Start the journey with these tutorials: <https://organizationalphysics.com/op-101-tutorials/>