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Be obsessed.
To be all you can be, to bring out your talents and gifts, to be of use to the world, be obsessed with becoming the best in all you do.
That's the wisdom du jour, isn't it?
There's truth in that.
But are you willing to pay the price?
/1
To be all you can be, to bring out your talents and gifts, to be of use to the world, be obsessed with becoming the best in all you do.
That's the wisdom du jour, isn't it?
There's truth in that.
But are you willing to pay the price?
/1
Obsession: the relentless, ceaseless, pursuit of something.
You become what you do.
You manifest what you pursue.
Become obsessed with self-destruction and you will destroy yourself.
Become obsessed with self-improvement, and... you may destroy yourself. /2
You become what you do.
You manifest what you pursue.
Become obsessed with self-destruction and you will destroy yourself.
Become obsessed with self-improvement, and... you may destroy yourself. /2
Obsession focuses your attention on something to the exclusion of all others.
Your energies follow your attention.
Your actions follow your energy.
This is the secret of peak performance, accelerated learning, and breaking your limits.
And the path to destruction.
/3
Your energies follow your attention.
Your actions follow your energy.
This is the secret of peak performance, accelerated learning, and breaking your limits.
And the path to destruction.
/3
Think of the gamer who plays day and night, never leaving his computer for anything.
The fitness junkie who trains relentlessly until he blows out his back and joints.
The superfan who can't think of anything else but his idol.
Obsession blinds them to life. /4
The fitness junkie who trains relentlessly until he blows out his back and joints.
The superfan who can't think of anything else but his idol.
Obsession blinds them to life. /4
However romantic or tempting it may be to fantasize that you could spend your days in the pursuit of one thing, and nothing else, it is a delusion.
Fixation on a single object leads to rigidity, and rigidity leads to exhaustion and destruction.
Even at less intense levels. /5
Fixation on a single object leads to rigidity, and rigidity leads to exhaustion and destruction.
Even at less intense levels. /5
Life is a zero sum game.
Do one thing, you cannot do another.
Every door you open closes doors around you.
The strategy of being the best in the world at what you do is a long-term high-reward play.
With very high risk.
/6
Do one thing, you cannot do another.
Every door you open closes doors around you.
The strategy of being the best in the world at what you do is a long-term high-reward play.
With very high risk.
/6
What does it take to become the best in the world at something?
Practice.
Hours
Days
Weeks
Months
Years
Decades
of relentless, focused, practice.
/7
Practice.
Hours
Days
Weeks
Months
Years
Decades
of relentless, focused, practice.
/7
The more you pursue something, the worse you get at everything that isn't it.
The more you do something, the less you are doing of everything else.
All things bow to entropy.
Opportunity cost is the silent arbiter of destinies.
You sure you can be the world's best?
/8
The more you do something, the less you are doing of everything else.
All things bow to entropy.
Opportunity cost is the silent arbiter of destinies.
You sure you can be the world's best?
/8
There are 7.8 billion people in the world.
Are you 1 in 7.8 billion at what you do?
The odds are astronomical.
It's easier to win the lottery, multiple time.
If you're reading this, you're likely not the best at anything.
Or can be the best at anything.
/9
Are you 1 in 7.8 billion at what you do?
The odds are astronomical.
It's easier to win the lottery, multiple time.
If you're reading this, you're likely not the best at anything.
Or can be the best at anything.
/9
You can increase your odds by narrowing your focus.
Best in one field.
Best in one field in one region.
Best in one field in one region in a certain age bracket.
etc.
The odds are now merely 1 in millions.
Are you that good?
Some people are.
But the rest?
/10
Best in one field.
Best in one field in one region.
Best in one field in one region in a certain age bracket.
etc.
The odds are now merely 1 in millions.
Are you that good?
Some people are.
But the rest?
/10
There's room for only one at the top.
What if you don't get there?
What if you've spent years, decades, in relentless pursuit of your craft, seeking always to become the best at what you do,
and fail?
What happens next?
/11
What if you don't get there?
What if you've spent years, decades, in relentless pursuit of your craft, seeking always to become the best at what you do,
and fail?
What happens next?
/11
Answer: it becomes extremely difficult to do almost everything else.
Monofocus means monospecialisation.
Outside that specialised field, you are no better than the average person—and, given your lack of practice, you might even be worse.
Much worse.
/12
Monofocus means monospecialisation.
Outside that specialised field, you are no better than the average person—and, given your lack of practice, you might even be worse.
Much worse.
/12
Monofocus is the play of artists, scientists, philosophers, creatives, rebels.
Long time frame. High reward. High risk.
Success brings glory beyond your wildest dreams.
Failure leads to a vicious cycle of bitterness, regrets, failure.
/13
Long time frame. High reward. High risk.
Success brings glory beyond your wildest dreams.
Failure leads to a vicious cycle of bitterness, regrets, failure.
/13
You cannot buy time for anything, only trade it for something else.
To become the best, you need to invest years and decades of practice.
But if you fail, you've burned years and decades of your life.
You've carved a road to a dead end.
/14
To become the best, you need to invest years and decades of practice.
But if you fail, you've burned years and decades of your life.
You've carved a road to a dead end.
/14
Obsession leads to concentration, which leads to peak performance—and rigidity.
Flexibility leads to division of energies, which leads to reduced capability—and adaptability.
To live, reconcile both principles.
Not either/or. Both/and.
/15
Flexibility leads to division of energies, which leads to reduced capability—and adaptability.
To live, reconcile both principles.
Not either/or. Both/and.
/15
You don't have to be the best among 7.8 billion people.
You need merely be the only one who can do what you do within the circles important to you.
Focus not one one thing, but a cluster of skills you can synergize into a greater whole.
Your talent stack.
/16
You need merely be the only one who can do what you do within the circles important to you.
Focus not one one thing, but a cluster of skills you can synergize into a greater whole.
Your talent stack.
/16
Hone your greatest strength.
Sharpen two skills you're good at.
Maintain three skills you're average at.
Set aside four things you'll always be mediocre at.
Learn something new and integrate it with your strengths.
This is your stack.
/17
Sharpen two skills you're good at.
Maintain three skills you're average at.
Set aside four things you'll always be mediocre at.
Learn something new and integrate it with your strengths.
This is your stack.
/17
Play with the numbers however you like, but that's the gist.
Develop core competencies, set aside your weaknesses, learn something new.
Be excellent and well-rounded.
Be obsessed with developing not one skill, but several.
/18
Develop core competencies, set aside your weaknesses, learn something new.
Be excellent and well-rounded.
Be obsessed with developing not one skill, but several.
/18
Should your life change, you have the capacity to change with it.
That is far more valuable than being the best in the world, until the next best comes.
That which is flexible is alive.
That which is rigid is dead.
/end
That is far more valuable than being the best in the world, until the next best comes.
That which is flexible is alive.
That which is rigid is dead.
/end
