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- If you are multi-talented, read this.
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This letter is dedicated to the multi-talented individuals who have so much to do because they have so much to give. They have many interests and are good at many things. They are fast learners, so they end up accumulating a lot of interests and skills to the point where they aren’t exactly masters at anything. At some point, they start to get confused about what to turn into a career or a full-time passion.
Society keeps telling everyone to ‘focus on one thing’.
As the popular saying goes; “Jack of all trades, master of none.”
That itself is a very powerful conditioning. Even if you have the talents and capability to pull it off, you’ll never feel at peace with yourself. You’ll keep worrying that you’re wasting your time doing too many things when you should be focusing on one thing.
My philosophy of life is to live like a scientist - to test and experiment before concluding on anything. You can only undo society’s programming and unlearn everything it taught you to be when you are willing to experiment and reinvent yourself. A scientist is somebody who seeks knowledge without paying too much regard to conventional knowledge. A scientist is always willing and ready to let go of what he or she already knows so that they can learn something new about the world. You have to apply the same tactic if you want to become the best version of yourself.
The common problem is that there is always opportunity cost. When your attention is more focused on one thing, you pay less attention to another. If you keep juggling 10 balls, sooner or later some will drop off, and you have to be okay with that.
One quote that made a lasting impression in my mind is this one from Marcus Aurelius:
“Yes, you can — if you do everything as if it were the last thing you were doing in your life, and stop being aimless, stop letting your emotions override what your mind tells you, stop being hypocritical, self-centered, irritable.”
This quote is a powerful reminder that always fills me with optimism that I can do everything if I don’t waste any time overthinking or second-guessing myself. Less thinking, more flowing into things, and letting your intuition lead the way.
Another big lesson from that particular quote is that you need to live with urgency. Stop wasting time. Stop living like a snail; live like a fast train, an unstoppable fast train moving at sonic speed. Whatever obstacle stands in your way is cleared immediately. Approach everything with speed because time moves fast; you have to be faster. If not, you just find out that time keeps slipping from your hands. You should be aware and scared of the fact that time is slipping from your hands. Time is life, literally, so you are losing life every second. That should scare you into action and maximizing every single minute you get. Be intense about the things you’re doing because intensity shortens work time.
“Work always expands to fill up the time set for its completion.”
If you allocate 1 hour for a shower, you’re going to find something to do to keep you in the shower for 1 hour. But imagine you have a flight to catch, and you are running late, now you have 5 minutes to get your shower done. Do you think you’re going to get your shower done in 5 minutes? You will. Because a need for urgency has been introduced. That’s just the major difference.
It’s like when you plan to study diligently from the beginning of the semester but never do. Then, right before the exam, you suddenly find the energy to cram all the material in one night. Why? Because the urgency of the looming exam pushes you to desperate action. Urgency spikes intensity, and intensity increases productivity. You have to find different ways to create urgency in your daily schedule. That way, you’ll be able to get much done faster and have more time to pursue all your passions.
You should be well aware of where you are in life and what activities will give you the result that is most relevant to your utmost priorities.
If your health is amiss, it makes sense to prioritize your fitness and well-being. However, if you’re at a stage where you need to support your family financially, then focusing on activities that generate income should be your priority. Shuffle your priorities as needed.
Always follow your natural curiosity.
The complete version of that quote goes;
“A jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.’
When you pursue your interests with patience, dedication, and sincerity, a time will come when they all blend in perfect harmony. You will end up creating a unique skill set for yourself that makes you irreplaceable in the market. And you do that by combining your interests, personal talents, and everything that makes you you.
PS: If you make it to YouTube, feel free to like and subscribe. Take care, brother 🖤
Stay Inspired
ML