focal point vs linchpin

focal point

noun
  • The centre of any activity. 

  • A solution that people will tend to use in the absence of communication, because it seems natural, special, or relevant. 

  • A focus; a point at which rays of light or other radiation converge. 

  • A feature that attracts particular attention. 

linchpin

noun
  • A central cohesive source of stability and security; a person or thing that is critical to a system or organisation. 

  • A pin inserted through holes at the end of an axle or shaft, so as to secure a wheel or shaft-mounted device. 

verb
  • To adopt as, or serve as, a central cohesive source of stability and security. 

How often have the words focal point and linchpin occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )