Hard things, Focus and What You Are Learnig Daily
Why they may be essential for you going forward.
Hi there,
Thank you so much for sticking around despite my recent absence. I've spent some time trying to figure out how I can make these articles more valuable while seamlessly posting weekly with my current lifestyle.
I've come up with a format for sharing three valuable things I've picked out during the week. I hope you find something valuable and helpful.
Let's dive right into the three things that really stood out for me this week.
1. Do Hard Things
It may sound strange, but hear me out. It's so easy to remain comfortable with who we are, either negatively or positively. Negatively, we might say, "I can't change; that's just how I am." Equally destructive yet positive side, we might feel, "I have arrived."
As you may know, growth and some form of resistance go hand in hand. It's like resistance training in the gym – you grow muscle by subjecting it to weights (resistance).
The concept of doing hard things is to choose something that gives you resistance but also offers measurable value when done consistently. This could be learning a new language, acquiring a new trade like carpentry or plumbing, diving into data science, or coding.
For me, my "hard thing" for this season is making one to two videos and publishing them on YouTube. The process of doing this week in and week out uncomfortably exposes many aspects of myself. It's like the cringiness of the process consistently triggers nerves in my brain that have never been used before, while slowly developing my ability to:
Generate ideas
Research on those ideas
Organize those ideas
Force me to verbally express the ideas
Video shooting (camera presence)
Video editing
Turning a blind eye to the feeling of "what will people think or say?"
The list could go on and on.
Is it hard? Yes, for someone like me who would rather stay to themselves – it's super hard. Are the results perfect? No, the videos are not great at the moment, but after doing this consistently, they will hopefully get better and better.
From the first video ever, I couldn't even say my name and what I do when I pressed record on the camera. Tried it over and over till late at night, it just coulnd’t come out. But, from those dreadful days there's been some progress.
Remember, it's about progress over perfection, at least when you're just starting something.
Quick Marketing Plug: Subscribe to monitor my progress and hopefully pick out one or two things from the videos while you're at it. The videos I publlish share ideas from books, podcasts, and anything I can get my hands on to improve my communication, personal finance, MBTI (INFP), and other self-development topics.
Check out my latest video below.
2. Focus - Laser Focus
In this age where options are limitless, focus is what will differentiates the ordinary from the remarkable. I can't remember where I heard this adage, but it perfectly puts the point of focus into perspective.
Water, in itself, is a neutral element. Unfocused and left on its own, it can cause destructive floods, tsunamis, etc. The same water, when properly focused, channeled and harnest can light up schools, hospitals, and create employment for millions.
Figure 1. Destructive Water.
Figure 2. Harnest Water.
For "creatives," which we all are to some degree, this is a significant issue. Many things tickle our interest, and we often feel we could be good at many of them if we gave them time.
So, today you start a shoe business, the next day a transportation-related one, while setting up a barbershop. At the end of the day, you look back and realize you haven't made progress in any of your endeavors.
The advice I heard on this is to give something total focus for at least six months. During this time, go all-in to learn all the ins and outs and apply what you're learning.
After those six months, take stock and ask yourself:
Have I made marginal progress?
Is it something I can continue doing going forward, possibly for the rest of my life?
Worst case, if you don't like it, you will have gained knowledge and some level of a new skill in the process of those six months. If you like it, you will have laid a strong foundation for exponential growth.
These 2 videos reminds me of laser focus. The first is a water jet laser one of the most powerful cutting devices that uses you guessed it, WATER.
The second video is a one of a dog.
3. What Am I Even Learning Here? Over
What Am I Even Doing Here?
If you're like me, you have that thing that occupies most of your day. And NO, I'm not talking about your significant other if you are married. I'm talking about your job if you work, school if you're a student, or staying at home if you're in the waiting period for the next opportunity.
No matter what your situation is, most of the time, you stress about your current situation and look for the next "big thing," sometimes even contemplating quitting every so often.
One thing I learned this week was to change my mindset from "what am I getting here" (salary, "job satisfaction") – which is mostly likely not what you want – to the mindset of "what am I learning here?" This shift helps us focus on what we're intentionally taking away from our current situation.
The table below shares examples of how you can change your perspective and take full advantage of where you are as you wait for the next big thing. Turn your wait into a training ground for the next leap.
Try and list ten things you don't like about your current position and identify the skills that can be learnt from them. If you're genuinely not learning anything, it's probably time to start making plans for your exit. Some places are just outright toxic and unhealthy.
Disclaimer: This is not career advice; please consider it with a pinch of salt.
Thank you Sir, this is so insightful
Thank you @Bo Nawa.