Comments on: Ambition Creep http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2007/05/05/ambition-creep/ Living the dance, dancing the life. Fri, 16 May 2008 06:55:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Chris http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2007/05/05/ambition-creep/#comment-1412 Chris Mon, 07 May 2007 18:16:21 +0000 http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2007/05/05/ambition-creep/#comment-1412 Ahh....if only I could find the book to get the quote right but it's something to the effect of there being an infinite amount of knowledge in the universe and our lives being finite. So why would we want to pursue something infinite if we couldn't possibly attain it in our finite lifetime? The lesson being that you can't do everything, so you shouldn't stress out over all the things you aren't doing and focus on doing the things you are doing well. Opportunity cost, if you want to think about it in terms of economics. You have to NOT do something in order to be able to do something else otherwise, like you said, you will be "master of none." But I think you already know the answer (it's in your post) -- Balance. Ahh….if only I could find the book to get the quote right but it’s something to the effect of there being an infinite amount of knowledge in the universe and our lives being finite. So why would we want to pursue something infinite if we couldn’t possibly attain it in our finite lifetime?

The lesson being that you can’t do everything, so you shouldn’t stress out over all the things you aren’t doing and focus on doing the things you are doing well. Opportunity cost, if you want to think about it in terms of economics. You have to NOT do something in order to be able to do something else otherwise, like you said, you will be “master of none.”

But I think you already know the answer (it’s in your post) — Balance.

]]> By: Jared Goralnick http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2007/05/05/ambition-creep/#comment-1411 Jared Goralnick Sun, 06 May 2007 17:57:01 +0000 http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2007/05/05/ambition-creep/#comment-1411 Jim, Sadly for your sake, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle" rel="nofollow">Pareto Principle</a> is what tells me I should be doing <i>less</i> with guitar, but you're right to suggest the rule. I remember a couple years back when I first heard about the 80/20 rule and it really surprised me...and now it seems to come up every day. When I heard <a href="http://2007.sxsw.com/blogs/podcasts.php/2007/03/19/the_4_hour_workweek_secrets_of_doing_mor" rel="nofollow">Tim Ferriss' podcast</a> about his <a href="http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/" rel="nofollow">recently published book</a>, he went on and on about applying the Pareto Principle to our own personal productivity--and to all aspects of life. That's one of the things I'm hoping to walk away with in reading his book. Jim,

Sadly for your sake, the Pareto Principle is what tells me I should be doing less with guitar, but you’re right to suggest the rule. I remember a couple years back when I first heard about the 80/20 rule and it really surprised me…and now it seems to come up every day.

When I heard Tim Ferriss’ podcast about his recently published book, he went on and on about applying the Pareto Principle to our own personal productivity–and to all aspects of life. That’s one of the things I’m hoping to walk away with in reading his book.

]]> By: Jared Goralnick http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2007/05/05/ambition-creep/#comment-1410 Jared Goralnick Sun, 06 May 2007 17:47:22 +0000 http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2007/05/05/ambition-creep/#comment-1410 Brent, Thank you for such a thoughtful response. I've been thinking about this for a long time and your suggestion is very much in line with my conclusion--I need to focus and plan for the areas where I'll achieve the most and be happiest. If other ideas are outside of the plan then, fun as they might be, they're likely just distractions. I'm going to be working on a formal business plan and writing a lot over the next month or so. Thank you for some motivation--clearly you've done an excellent job with <a href="http://www.curlingup.com" rel="nofollow">Curling Up</a>. And I must say, your cause is a very good one. Thank you! Brent,

Thank you for such a thoughtful response. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time and your suggestion is very much in line with my conclusion–I need to focus and plan for the areas where I’ll achieve the most and be happiest. If other ideas are outside of the plan then, fun as they might be, they’re likely just distractions.

I’m going to be working on a formal business plan and writing a lot over the next month or so. Thank you for some motivation–clearly you’ve done an excellent job with Curling Up. And I must say, your cause is a very good one.

Thank you!

]]> By: Jim http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2007/05/05/ambition-creep/#comment-1408 Jim Sun, 06 May 2007 11:04:48 +0000 http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2007/05/05/ambition-creep/#comment-1408 Hi Jared, You're right on with the notion of there being so many things we COULD be doing, it's hard to knuckle down and focus on the core things that will get you a result. Check out the concept of the Pareto Principle (otherwise known as the 80/20 rule), it might help you work through how to be more effective. Oh and check out my site to make your guitar lessons wish that little bit easier! Cheers, Jim Hi Jared,

You’re right on with the notion of there being so many things we COULD be doing, it’s hard to knuckle down and focus on the core things that will get you a result.

Check out the concept of the Pareto Principle (otherwise known as the 80/20 rule), it might help you work through how to be more effective.

Oh and check out my site to make your guitar lessons wish that little bit easier!

Cheers,
Jim

]]> By: Brent http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2007/05/05/ambition-creep/#comment-1407 Brent Sun, 06 May 2007 04:25:54 +0000 http://www.dancingwithwords.com/2007/05/05/ambition-creep/#comment-1407 I must say it sounds like you already know what you need to do. I think many people go through this. There are a lot of things that we want to experience and achieve in our lives and sometimes we add too many things to be successful at any. The key is to know there are two different issues at play here. First is doing what we love to do. Second is to be successful at it. I, like you, used to juggle work, consulting, starting new ventures, and anything else that seemed like it could bring success and would be fun. That’s ok, but at some point it either stops being fun or you juggle so much that you can’t be successful at anything. I wanted a successful business and wanted to give back to the community and to have time with my family. So I tried to do all of those things. What I found was to have a successful business, I had little time for my family and giving back to the community became a challenge because it took away from the other two. So I stopped doing all the consulting work that wasn’t fun for me. Then I started looking at how I could combine a business with family and giving back that would really make me feel good. We started a site called CurlingUp.com http://curlingup.com which is a literary community that would allow us to focus on people’s love for reading and allow us to support a great organization called The Painted Turtle (a camp for chronically ill kids). I also learned that to be successful I needed to give it my all and not be pulled down other alleys. You must keep focused and have a plan. If I was presented with something that didn’t directly relate to the plan then I would have to turn it down. This can be a difficult process, especially when you have clients who like your work and want you to keep doing it. But it should always come down to what makes you happy. When it stops being fun…look for something else. One more thing: As for success, you can only achieve it when you can visualize it. Assume you are already successful, live that life daily and you will find that it happens. Good luck! I must say it sounds like you already know what you need to do. I think many people go through this. There are a lot of things that we want to experience and achieve in our lives and sometimes we add too many things to be successful at any. The key is to know there are two different issues at play here. First is doing what we love to do. Second is to be successful at it. I, like you, used to juggle work, consulting, starting new ventures, and anything else that seemed like it could bring success and would be fun. That’s ok, but at some point it either stops being fun or you juggle so much that you can’t be successful at anything. I wanted a successful business and wanted to give back to the community and to have time with my family. So I tried to do all of those things. What I found was to have a successful business, I had little time for my family and giving back to the community became a challenge because it took away from the other two. So I stopped doing all the consulting work that wasn’t fun for me. Then I started looking at how I could combine a business with family and giving back that would really make me feel good. We started a site called CurlingUp.com http://curlingup.com which is a literary community that would allow us to focus on people’s love for reading and allow us to support a great organization called The Painted Turtle (a camp for chronically ill kids). I also learned that to be successful I needed to give it my all and not be pulled down other alleys. You must keep focused and have a plan. If I was presented with something that didn’t directly relate to the plan then I would have to turn it down. This can be a difficult process, especially when you have clients who like your work and want you to keep doing it. But it should always come down to what makes you happy. When it stops being fun…look for something else. One more thing: As for success, you can only achieve it when you can visualize it. Assume you are already successful, live that life daily and you will find that it happens.

Good luck!

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