No more side quests
Every couple of months I have a call with a couple of great entrepreneur friends where we dissect our current strategies. In the recent chat I shared my success at giving my first university seminar on the Zettelkasten note-taking method.
I would then express how I wanted to finish my new Zettelkasten e-book so that I can focus 100% back on Flowtelic.
I explained that my goals this year was to achieve three things.
The first—to deliver the seminar—done.
The second—to launch the book.
And the third—to release the paid for version of Flowtelic so that it can become a proper business.
As we concluded our chat, I felt the burning need to bring up something that has been playing on my mind for a while now.
The ConvertKit story
An entrepreneur who I deeply admire is Nathan Barry. I remember when he announced his web app challenge over a decade ago to build a product that could earn $5,000 a month in 6 months. That web app was ConvertKit.
All the company metrics were available on Bare Metrics where you can see the success of the company. ConvertKit doesn’t make $5,000 a month, but $2,800,000 a month. This is a huge inspiration for entrepreneurs like me, where I get to truly see what is possible.
What really stuck with me was when Nathan one day shared an inflection point for the company where he had to decide: let the companay die, or go all in.
Many entrepreneurs will face this hard truth. Are you really focused; or are you spreading your attention to try and find the one thing that brings the quickest success.
I can't stop thinking that Nathan did in fact choose to double down on ConvertKit and shut down his other business ventures.
My own truth
As I share this story with my friends on the call, we were left with a moment of silence. A silence where we were both contemplating our own path, our own distractions, our own lack of doubling down.
I know what I want. I want Flowtelic to be a success. I want it to be my contribution to world to help people think and teach better. But I sit here with the gravity of writing a book — a side quest from the main mission. I sit here with the gravity of spending the last two months preparing for a university seminar — a side quest from the main mission. Will I be distracted by yet another side quest—another distraction from the main mission?
No. More. Side. Quests.
I’m committed to delivering this book. I’m excited by it. It’s something that I feel is very important to put out there. It also helps build the flywheel that drives attention to Flowtelic.
But without Flowtelic, there’s no end game. This is my last side quest.
Today’s ah-ha moment
What is it that you really care about? What are you splitting your attention across? If you had to double down on one thing, what would it be? Be mindful and question if the things you focus your energy on are really moving you towards your goals. If not, do you need to quit the side quests and get back to the main mission?