2-3-4 Friday: That one thing 

‘Seeking to spark the most potential within you per word of any online newsletter’

1 thought

Seth is a successful side-hustler. At one point, he was running a tuition business, doing online YouTube videos, and also being a financial consultant. On stage last weekend, he was sharing about how he made it all work.

He talked about timeblocking and scheduling his time well.

The moderator had a 60 seconds time limit, and Seth stopped well before.

It was a good answer. Many in the crowd nodded. It made sense. Many of us have to do many different jobs today, and we are used to having side-hustles or different things that pay us money, to afford the growing cost of living in Singapore.

Beside him was PropNex CEO Ismail Gafoor, sitting on the edge of his seat, with a frown on his face.

Before the moderator went on, Ismail took the mic and added,

yes, doing all these other things is important.

But sometimes it’s worth giving your 100% to one thing.

Like Kelvin Fong, who started as a telemarketer earning $4 an hour, and eventually rose to become our CEO today.

He gave everything to his one job.

That stuck with me for a long time. Because I could say that many times, I had been doing many different things. But I never focused on one thing, because I was afraid of being bored. And after hearing that, I thought,

maybe that’s why I’m not succeeding.

Because I never give my 100% to one thing.

Just the one thing.

What is your one thing?

Because it can be sexy to keep jumping from one thing to the other, but never truly deeply investing in building the one thing.

Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s great to know many different things, and to have many different things running. But what becomes the problem is when you end up splitting your energies into many different things, going many different places, but never fully into one single thing.

1 talk

Be that one thing. To everyone who's paying you. 

Consistently deliver that skill you're known for. 

Then deliver the results others can't. 

1 tip

I don’t think the question today is how do we focus. Rather, it’s why can’t we seem to build one thing?

If we generalize the reasons why, it is fear and greed that drives us to keep doing more and more, over and above just focusing on the one thing.

So yes, you have this one core skill - say in counseling. Over the years, you try learning other things. Like how to project manage. Understanding finance. All that is important, but what happens to that core skill of counselling?

How do you build something sustainable around that?

Because I didn’t. I had this counseling skill, but then I let it die. I learnt writing. Dabbled in finance. Learnt how to make websites. I did many things, but never built one thing I would stand head and shoulders over everyone else in.

Yes, you should evolve your skills. And you should have complementary skills. But focus on that one thing first before dabbling and mixing.

For me, I changed when I realised that I needed to index more on my core skill in writing, and keep writing, until I could deliver a book every year, and deliver a book that sold more than 220 copies. Because that indicated traction.

That your story resonated.

And for you, know the one thing you’re building. You can look left or right, but keep staying in that lane, and remember that you’re fighting your own battles. No one else’s.

John

Live Young, Live Well - Work Your Love

Please note: I own shares in PropNex.