Adonis Diaries

Hanane is telling me about how she has this work opportunity that she doesn’t want to loose. Both she and I know that she doesn’t have the time for this opportunity right now.

The reason many of us fail to succeed is because we can’t let go. We’re afraid to loose opportunities. We say ‘yes’ to every single one.

By doing that, we dilute our efforts. We can’t focus on one project, nor one direction, nor one niche. We try to do everything at once. We try to ‘be’ everything at once. Those of us who are like that, constantly fail to succeed.

Yes, failure is good. It helps us grow and learn. Yet, we have to be careful. This ‘failure-is-good’ philosophy only applies when we fail despite our best efforts; despite our 100% focus and attention.

When we dilute our focus and attention 4 ways (25% each way), and then fail, please let’s not claim that ‘failure-is-good’. Let’s not claim that failure is a learning experience. We all know that 25% effort can’t create a success at anything.

When we’re afraid to lose opportunities; and when we say ‘Yes’ to all of these opportunities, we set ourselves up for failure. We agree to play a game we can’t win at.

Seth Godin failed at 300 businesses so that he can succeed at a few. The trick is that he was 100% dedicated and focused on one business at a time.

Alternately, we too can fail at 300 businesses. The difference is that we won’t succeed at any if them when we’re working on 2 or more at a time.

One of the key ingredients to success, is for us to be ready to turn down tempting opportunities for the sake of focus. One idea at a time. One project at a time. One vision at a time.

Hanane, take up all opportunities and fail to succeed at all of them. Loose all opportunities but one, and succeed over and over again.”

You read this note and you say “wow, this is inspirational”.  You reflect for a minute and you say: “This is just rhetoric: So many rational holes in that idea…”

I get very jittery when I read giving 100% of any abstract concept that has no quantifying basis for evaluation, not been measurable, nor a rigorous operational process for evaluating the concept has been researched and applied.

I read that mankind barely uses 10% of his brain potential, and maybe less than 30% of his physical energy potentials. Does William means by 100% effort, attention, or focus the current developed potential, or we have to wait to develop a certain level of potentials before considering seriously any other opportunities? What level of development can we judge appropriate for taking the second step into opportunity investigation?

William is funny: He cannot help it; he has to accept Seth claims as truth, like “Seth invested 100% effort on each of his 300 failed enterprises…” Seth looks pretty young to me for the claim; as if you can say “I failed” after just a month trial…Just count how many years it took Seth to discover his “calling”.

I say to Hanane: “Go get that opportunity that your heart wants.  You have enough experience, maturity, and you made the effort to let your heart be a winner, this time around. Your heart is the focus of your strongest passions and dreams… Would you dare fail your powerful instinct?”