The big idea
Time only goes forward
You can't eat dinner before you cook it. You can't finish a race before you start it. Time has a strict order — events happen one after the other.
Understanding before / after is the key to telling stories, solving puzzles, and reading recipes. Even reading is sequential — letter by letter, word by word.
The brain hack: ask "what HAS to happen first?" Whatever doesn't need anything else is your starting point.
- BEFORE = earlier in time.
- AFTER = later in time.
- Most actions depend on a previous one — find that one to start.