gistfile1.txt

// both the 'Player' component and this component exist as scripts on the player instance in the scene
// My guess is that start() is called on this component before on Player()
// (even though this script is listed last)
// Is this a bad pattern? It seems like running GetComponent() on each FixedUpdate() and checking for null would be a huge waste
// How do unity developers do this instead?

void start() {
    player = GetComponent<Player>();
}

void FixedUpdate() {
    player.DoSomething();  // NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
}