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Passion and Focus…Your Secret Weapon

Tuesday, 05 January 2010 22:47 Azhar Laher

There’s an age-old question that everyone seems to struggle with at some point in life. Is it better to be a Renaissance man or woman and be good at a lot of different things or to be laser-focused and really great at one specific thing?

The “jack of all trades” question is something I’ve struggled with for a long time. I love the idea of being a generalist. I really enjoy the act of creation, and happen to pick new things up quickly. Over the past few years, I’ve taken up entrepreneurship, real estate investing, blogging, mentorship, managing my website, photography and living abroad.

Jumping from one thing to the next or becoming moderately good at a lot of different things is exciting. It keeps the brain stimulated, and makes for interesting conversation and an adventurous life.

The problem is that what makes for an interesting life doesn’t necessarily make for a lucrative or successful career.

Why Focus is So Important in Work

If you’re drawn to doing a lot of different things like I am, it’s probably because you enjoy the rush you feel when trying something new. The Pareto principle applies here because you might be able to learn 80% of a skill in 20% of the time it would take to master it. That quick progress is addictive and fun.

In work, however, jumping from one thing to the next doesn’t necessarily pay off. You will undoubtedly end up competing with people who have focused on one thing for much longer than you have. Those people will eventually become really great at that one thing. If you’re only good at that one thing, you’ll lose in a competitive marketplace. The other things you’re also good-but-not-great at probably won’t help you land jobs or customers.

That’s why focus is so important in your work. By focusing on doing one thing, you not only give yourself a shot at putting in the effort to become amazingly great at something, but you also make it easier for potential customers or employers to see you as “the guy who’s really great at that thing.”

Being great at one thing and being known for it is what will help you command premium rates for what you do. Being only good at a lot of things will lead to earning commodity rates for each of those things.

I’m not advocating against trying a lot of different things in life. Experiencing all life has to offer is important and fulfilling. What I am suggesting is that trying to do a lot of different things professionally at the same time makes it exceedingly difficult to succeed.

A better approach is to choose one thing to focus on and do it until you’re great. One of the rewards of being really great at something is that eventually you’ll have the time and luxury of being able to try something else professionally.

Let Passion Be Your Secret Weapon

What should “that thing” you do be? How do you figure out what to focus on? The ideal situation would be to focus on something you’re passionate about. Here’s why.

A lot of people have written about passion and work lately. Why should you be passionate about what you do for a living? Because focus alone might not be enough to make you successful. Focus is important, but what happens when the path you’ve taken is more difficult or longer than you anticipated?

That’s where passion comes in. Passion can keep you from quitting when you feel like there’s no end in sight. Passion can help you enjoy the road to your destination enough that you don’t have to only rely on your focus to drive you. Focus alone might get you there if the journey is short, but what if it takes three or five or ten years?

Passion also gives you that extra edge that will show through in your enthusiasm. It will make you stand out as someone who really loves what he’s doing, not just someone who is doing it for a buck. That enthusiasm combined with the drive to go the distance is what makes passion your secret weapon.

That’s how passion and focus combined can rock your career. Being really great at one thing you’re passionate about is an excellent strategy for work. Being just good at a lot of different things professionally stacks the deck against you.

Answering the Age-old Question

So, which is better overall, being good at a lot of different things, or being really great at just one thing?

It isn’t a matter of which one is better. A full life will probably involve doing both in different ways. What’s important is that you’re happy and living the life you desire. When it comes to being successful at work however, it’s hard to deny the power of being focused on something you’re passionate about.

What do you think? Can you be successful at your career without passion and focus? Would you rather be good at a lot of things, or really great at one thing?

 

Sound Intelligent, Powerful, Polished, Articulate and Confident

Friday, 04 December 2009 04:26 Azhar Laher

 

Do you want to sound intelligent, powerful, polished, articulate and confident? Here are some great insights from a voice coach, Carol Fleming.

To sound more INTELLIGENT

Speak just a bit slower to allow yourself to select your most appropriate vocabulary and to give the impression of thoughtfulness.

To sound more POWERFUL

Use short, simple declarative sentences. You say what you mean and you mean what you say.  Cut out any useless connectors, adjectives and adverbs, especially superlatives. For example, “Fido does have the most innovative pricing in the industry”

To sound more POLISHED

Never answer a question with a blunt “yes” or “no”. Append a short phrase of clarification. For example, “Yes, we do have the latest Pebl phone in a variety of colours”

To sound more ARTICULATE

Make a special effort to pronounce the final sound in a word and use its energy to carry over the following word. Pay special attention to the final “t” and “ng”.

To sound more CONFIDENT

Carry your body up. Hold your head as if you had a crown on it. Don’t let your arms and legs have a side to side motion when you move. Keep your elbows and knees close to the middle of your body.

 

 

Last Updated ( Saturday, 05 December 2009 05:51 )
 

Train Your Brain

Thursday, 12 November 2009 03:09 Azhar Laher

Do you want to develop an integrative mind that takes input from everywhere and comes up with new solutions? Do a “newsstand roundup”. If you are stymied on how to solve a problem or just want to freshen up your own thinking – visit the largest newsstand you can find. Spend 15-20 minutes browsing and select several publications that you’ve never read and would likely never buy. That’s the challenge: buy magazines you never noticed previously. Take some time to look through them, scan the ads and major articles and get a sense of what the magazine is about and what its readers have on their minds. Then look for connections to your own work, life or problem.



Last Updated ( Friday, 13 November 2009 10:48 )
 

The Little Rules of Action

Tuesday, 10 November 2009 16:15 Azhar Laher

-By Leo Babauta.

Too often we get stuck in inaction — the quagmire of doubt and perfectionism and distractions and planning that stops us from moving forward.

And while I’m no proponent of a whirling buzz of activity, I also believe people get lost in the distractions of the world and lose sight of what’s important, and how to actually accomplish their Something Amazing.

And so today I’d like to humbly present a few little rules of action — just some small reminders, things I’ve found useful but by no means invented, common-sense stuff that is often not common enough.

  1. Don’t overthink. Too much thinking often results in getting stuck, in going in circles. Some thinking is good — it’s good to have a clear picture of where you’re going or why you’re doing this — but don’t get stuck thinking. Just do.
  2. Just start. All the planning in the world will get you nowhere. You need to take that first step, no matter how small or how shaky. My rule for motivating myself to run is: Just lace up your shoes and get out the door. The rest takes care of itself.
  3. Forget perfection. Perfectionism is the enemy of action. Kill it, immediately. You can’t let perfect stop you from doing. You can turn a bad draft into a good one, but you can’t turn no draft into a good draft. So get going.
  4. Don’t mistake motion for action. A common mistake. A fury of activity doesn’t mean you’re doing anything. When you find yourself moving too quickly, doing too many things at once, this is a good reminder to stop. Slow down. Focus.
  5. Focus on the important actions. Clear the distractions. Pick the one most important thing you must do today, and focus on that. Exclusively. When you’re done with that, repeat the process.
  6. Move slowly, consciously. Be deliberate. Action doesn’t need to be done fast. In fact, that often leads to mistakes, and while perfection isn’t at all necessary, neither is making a ridiculous amount of mistakes that could be avoided with a bit of consciousness.
  7. Take small steps. Biting off more than you can chew will kill the action. Maybe because of choking, I dunno. But small steps always works. Little tiny blows that will eventually break down that mountain. And each step is a victory, that will compel you to further victories.
  8. Negative thinking gets you nowhere. Seriously, stop doing that. Self doubt? The urge to quit? Telling yourself that it’s OK to be distracted and that you can always get to it later? Squash those thoughts. Well, OK, you can be distracted for a little bit, but you get the idea. Positive thinking, as corny as it sounds, really works. It’s self-talk, and what we tell ourselves has a funny habit of turning into reality.
  9. Meetings aren’t action. This is a common mistake in management. They hold meetings to get things done. Meetings, unfortunately, almost always get in the way of actual doing. Stop holding those meetings!
  10. Talking (usually) isn’t action. Well, unless the action you need to take is a presentation or speech or something. Or you’re a television broadcaster. But usually, talking is just talking. Communication is necessary, but don’t mistake it for actual action.
  11. Planning isn’t action. Sure, you need to plan. Do it, so you’re clear about what you’re doing. Just do it quickly, and get to the actual action as quickly as you can.
  12. Reading about it isn’t action. You’re reading an article about action. Ironic, I know. But let this be the last one. Now get to work!
  13. Sometimes, inaction is better. This might be the most ironic thing on the list, but really, if you find yourself spinning your wheels, or you find you’re doing more harm than good, rethink whether the action is even necessary. Or better yet, do this from the beginning — is it necessary? Only do the action if it is.

“Talk doesn’t cook rice.” - Chinese Proverb

 

 

Last Updated ( Friday, 13 November 2009 10:52 )
 

It is better to give than to receive....teach children the importance of giving

Tuesday, 13 October 2009 06:50 Azhar Laher

"You make a living by what you get, you make a life by what you give." --Winston Churchill

Giving not only gives you a feeling of personal achievement but also makes a legend out of you. People will not remember how much you earned in your life but will certainly not forget what you gave back to the community. If you have ever done something for some one else without asking for anything in return, you would know how satisfying it is then anything else.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 28 October 2009 15:26 ) Read more...
 
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