The Universal Tree Model

“If you can’t find a solution, simply move on to a new branch of the tree”

How to innovate in your field? How to make progress when you feel limited in one area? How to find the most effective solutions to a problem?
The model presented could be of interest when seeking to answer these questions.

Let’s get down to the facts
Imagine an enormous tree. The imposing trunk branches out more and more as we climb, until it transforms into a multitude of small, slender branches.

This tree represents all the theories and beliefs associated with the entire universe. That’s all there is to it.
All the fundamental theories that gave rise to the many models we use today to understand and shape the world are to be found in the trunk.
Higher up, in the branches directly originating from the trunk, various sciences develop, the beginnings of writing are formed, and a multitude of elements shaping our world come into existence.
The branches extend further into complex theories, explaining with ever-increasing precision every aspect of the world through branching. Each contributor brings their own offshoot to the tree, building on the previous, more substantial branch on which they grow.

To explain the model, let’s use an example.
We will explore a relatively recent branch (or at least one that has only recently become more intricate): psychiatry.
Several psychiatric approaches have become crucial in addressing mental illness. The vast majority of psychiatrists and specialists in the field likely rely on these approaches to comprehend mental illness and administer suitable treatments.
And the models used to date are, to some extent, effective in treating mental illness. But there’s nothing to suggest that these are the most efficient models.

Let’s imagine if the pioneers of psychiatry had explored a different branch of the universal tree to establish the field of psychiatry. They would have a very different approach today. Maybe better, maybe worse.
We could imagine that the branch of psychiatry has developed on a branch of knowledge with gaps or errors, and that the inaccuracies on which psychiatrists rely hinder the development of highly effective treatments.
If this is the case, it would make sense to question psychiatry’s methodology.

Let’s imagine.
You’re a psychiatrist, but you’re unable to improve the mental state of a patient who has been consulting you for many years. None of the models you’ve been taught work.
So, you question what you’ve learned and implement a new, innovative, and lesser-known approach. It’s based on neuro-linguistic programming. You train yourself, put it into practice, and after a few weeks, you notice significant improvements in your patient’s mental state.

What happened, metaphorically speaking, was that you decided to leave the branch of psychiatry for a while and explore a new branch related to, let’s say, communication. You then discovered an alternative way to solve the problem you were stuck on.

By exploring new branches, a psychiatrist could be able to find a lasting solution for a patient for whom the branch he was using most of the time wasn’t effective.

This example from psychiatry can be extrapolated to any field. When you feel limited, faced with a problem that’s difficult to solve, when the field you’re working in is no longer evolving, or when the competition becomes too great, you need to apply this model.

This involves exploring a new environment, thinking creatively, and discovering new tools from different sources. To evolve, you must switch branches, delve deeper into the tree, and establish a new branch.
These innovative decisions have to be implemented typically when the branch on which you’re progressing is obstructed by too many other branches, or when it’s rotten.

That’s a lot of metaphors. The bottom line is that it is crucial to progress to take the time to open up to other fields of knowledge and question one’s own beliefs.
Critical thinking and open-mindedness create new possibilities that can accelerate progress.