Compared to turning point, inflection is more gradual, less abrupt, more evolutionary less revolutionary, visible mostly from a distance

k_tectonic

To avoid becoming yet another forgettable blogpost, this theme has to be more precise, more selective/discriminatory.. See the section below on disqualified items.

— disambiguation

• a “turning point” marks a change in direction like up->down,
• A pivot point is like a inflection but not so explicit, so definitive, even in hindsight

Infection can be the transition from zigzag, /unsteady/ growth or slow-growth into a sustained fast-growth phases, as in the bamboo tree parable. There is often a previous trajectory of less visible growth. Interesting, the transition from visible growth into less visible growth is seldom described as inflection. Not a point in my life, but the covid infection goes through slow phases and fast phases. The “slow>fast” or “fast>slow” transitions are both described as inflection points.

An inflection point is therefore more subtle , less visible than the other “points”.

• .. Unlike a turning point, an inflection is more often recognized in /hindsight/. For example, a breakthrough inflection point is often recognized after an accumulation of steady focus.
• .. A highly visible inflection point is often seen and described as a turning point.

==== examples:
[l=Leverage (sustained focus on a strategic component) is a common feature of inflection and breakthrough.]
[u=unexpected (sometimes unbelievable) success either before or after the inflection point]
[g=gz]
[f=PFF]
[e=edu .. deserves more sunshine]
— [elu] G5 inflection: 1987 Grade 8: improving Chinese composition
One of the earliest inflection points in my life experience of resilience, /triumph/, overcoming the odds
— [elu] G9 inflection points: English
* [u] Inflection point: early 1993 passing O-level English by ULondon .. effectively sealed up my Achilles’ heel in my college plan. I knew at that point that I could now afford to fail General Paper. Natural trajectory which started in late 1991. My initial standard was very low and I received many inapplicable tips, tried many ineffective methods. I had to focus on 1) writing 2) listening 3) vocab 4) speaking. I soon took off and reached this inflection point.
* milestone point: Sometimes in my 40’s R.Teo said I was better at writing some important letter than he and many Singaporeas can write.
* Inflection phase: Sometime in my late 40’s, I started to notice the common standard among many well-spoken Singaporean English speakers, and I had reached a comparable standard, in terms of clarity — articulation, simple or sophisticated vocab, natural sentence construction… Am still in the inflection phase.

— [eu] G15 inflection point: Jan 1992 joining HJC .. helped me prepare all of my subjects including Chinese!
Inflection?? natural trajectory started in Shiyan, but I was lucky to avoid any further delay in SG as happened to many China students of my age.

Inflection? Yes in terms of my “condition” to survive in SG (as a student, then a professional). Yes in terms of my academic path. As of 1991, it was not a given that I would be accepted at HJC. I was actively planning to go back to Beijing. HJC teachers helped paved my way out of the woods.

— [eu] G8 pivot pointS: joining Shiyan, HJC, UChicago, and earning top grades. A related inflection point is the steady ascent of NUS in global standing, after I graduated! The common theme — these exclubs help me stand taller among many specific groups.  They feed an ego in me — I’m still watchful.

Infection? Before each inflection point, I was experiencing much slower growth in my academic self-esteem.
— [gu] G3 inflection point: Mar 2010  joining WallSt contract market ..
impact: dev-till-70 and career longevity
Inflection? Yes in terms of career trajectory/outlook, income, work-life balance, survival strategy.
— [gu] G19 inflection point: 2010 starting c++ journey after the java journey had /plateaued/ for years.
— [glu] G9 inflection point: 2017 when I started passing multiple c++ interviews.
— [gu] G15 inflection point: Dec 1999 joining Catcha
Inflection? Transition from electronics to IT domain was inevitable. If not 1999, then 2000s. Still, this was transtion from slow-growth to fast-growth
— [glu] inflection point: joining GS .. logical consequence of my entry to U.S. Even without GS, in hindsight I would likely end up on WallSt, because I had a technical mind, a strong foundation for body-building, and a good command of English. However as of 2007 this was an unexpected success.

Inflction? Yes. Before this point I was learning about U.S. tech interviews.

In terms of salary, I immediately broke into the lucrative world of WallSt, and pulled ahead of my cohort.

==== There are actually rather few true inflection points. Below are some of the vague items
— [u] G5 breakthrough: Dec 2005 met my dream girl..
Pivot! Until then I had always looked for other types !
— [u] G5 turning point: 2018 breakaway from FOLB/FOMO [ exclub, OC-effective, branded college, high-flyers, ] In 2018 I started sharing with Kyle and grandpa my breakaway and my rejection of the conventional ideals

Inflection? Earlier, my successE was in slow growth.
— [flu] G9 pivot/breakthrough: 2005 buying #04-116 after becoming SG citizen.
impact: It helped me buy the bigger flat #2-1173, and served as a bedrock of my family asset.

Inflection: Recognized a decade later. Before this point, I was always 无产阶级.|
— [fu] G9 pivot point: Aug 2015 choosing BGC (instead of SG condo) .. A bold start of a new “movement”
Inflection? Recognized years later. Before this point, I was only dreaming of owning multiple properties, in China, SG, Malaysia or U.S.
— [g] G11 turning point: 2017 when I changed to lower gear in my drive for high salary, muscle building… and shifted focus to carefree ezlife
Until this inflection, my successE was in slow growth.
— [gu] G11 breakthrough pivot point: Dec 2016 H1b approval -> reenter U.S. -> GC.. I think the GC was swift, with far-reaching consequences. The trajectory started in my teenage years, and I always had a longing for a U.S. experience