19 Jun Why Being Well Rounded Won’t Help You
I am always asked, “How do I become more well-rounded?” And my answer to them is often this, “You don’t want to be!”
Think of it this way, being well round is like a globe. You know the old-fashioned ones that have the continents, but nothing has a great amount of detail. You see the overall image of the globe, but that’s it – just a very high-level view. So, when you’re well rounded you may know just enough to be able to hold a conversation on a particular topic, but your depth of knowledge or the level of detail to really be impactful is not there. That’s why I challenge people, instead, to be sharply-pointed. When you’re sharply pointed, that’s like zooming in using Google Maps. You’re in on the ground level, you see the street signs, the cars, the plants – you can focus in on exactly what is there and have an amazing level of clarity in what you see to be able to take specific actions.
Often the most successful entrepreneurs and business owners are those that are sharply-pointed, in a few areas. They may not know every operational area in their business, but the select areas they do know, they know very well with uncanny precision. In life, it is important to remember that as just one person, there is only so much that you individually can master. By trying to become an expert on lots of things, you naturally overwork and stress out your mind. I call it the mental stonewall. Once you get to that point, there is no more room to take anything else in. And, in fact, you may start to forget other areas as you try to cram more into your knowledge base.
It is a better focus of your time and attention to delve deeper into those areas that you’re most interested in or are very good at. By investing your resources in these areas, you are able to drill down and broaden your understanding that can help you be more productive in other areas of your life.
If you find yourself juggling many areas in your business or in your life, I challenge you to look to see how you can simplify your efforts and re-channel your energy to the areas that keep you the most fulfilled. Staying aware of where you use your time is an important self-reflection practice to ensure that you are always progressing toward your peak performance.
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