How to Manage Multiple Interests
Summary
TLDRThe speaker discusses the struggle of wanting to do everything and the danger of spreading oneself too thin, leading to lack of progress. They share personal experiences and strategies for managing this desire, including creating a hierarchy of interests, effective time management, and accepting that not all interests can be pursued simultaneously. The importance of persistence through challenges and the emotional journey of learning new skills are also highlighted, emphasizing the value of balance and focus in personal development.
Takeaways
- ๐ฑ Embrace curiosity and the desire to explore various interests, but be mindful of not spreading yourself too thin.
- ๐ Realize that specialization and a diverse set of skills can coexist; balance is key.
- ๐ Create a hierarchy of interests to prioritize and allocate time effectively.
- โฐ Implement time management strategies, such as using Google Calendar, to plan your week and focus on important tasks.
- ๐ฏ Rank your interests based on personal value to determine where to invest your time and effort.
- ๐ซ Accept that you may need to temporarily let go of some interests to focus on the most meaningful ones.
- ๐ Reframing existing tasks can help develop new skills without adding extra time to your schedule.
- ๐ก Identify the root cause of the desire to do everything, often stemming from 'shiny object syndrome' and social media exposure.
- ๐ Understand that the journey of mastering a skill involves ups and downs, including moments of struggle and burnout.
- ๐ Recognize that persistence through challenges leads to achievement and a sense of accomplishment.
- ๐ Adapt your approach to lifelong learning, understanding that it's a continuous process with room for new pursuits in the future.
Q & A
What does the speaker describe as 'horrible' regarding the idea of being pushed into a box?
-The speaker describes the idea of being pushed into a box and deprived of the room to branch out and try different things as 'horrible'. They express a strong aversion to the notion of being limited to a single role or task, which they believe is contrary to the nature of humans as curious, lifelong learners.
How does the speaker feel about the specialized economy and its impact on individuals?
-The speaker feels that the specialized economy exacerbates the problem of individuals being pigeonholed into specific roles, which they believe is not how humans are meant to function. They argue that humans are on Earth for more than just being a cog in a machine and that the pressure to specialize can lead to a loss of the desire to explore and learn new things.
What phrase does the speaker dislike and why?
-The speaker dislikes the phrase 'jack of all trades, master of none'. They dislike it for two reasons: first, because they believe it's incorrect in practice as people can be good at multiple things, and second, because it suggests that one must be a master to be considered good at something, which is not necessarily true.
What is the 'shiny object syndrome' mentioned in the script?
-The 'shiny object syndrome' refers to the tendency to be distracted by new and interesting activities or hobbies, jumping from one to another without making solid progress in any. This can lead to a lack of focus and a dilution of efforts, preventing individuals from achieving meaningful success in any particular area.
How does the speaker suggest one should deal with the desire to do everything?
-The speaker suggests creating a hierarchy of interests and making a realistic plan for improvement. They recommend a 10-minute exercise where one writes down all interests and ranks them based on importance. This helps to narrow down the scope and allocate time correctly, focusing on what matters most.
What is the speaker's view on time management?
-The speaker initially had doubts about time management but has come to appreciate its value. They started planning every day on Google Calendar, which has significantly improved their productivity. The speaker emphasizes that time management is not about working constantly but about valuing time and using it with intention to achieve goals.
How does the speaker balance their various interests and pursuits?
-The speaker balances their interests by allocating time to them based on their importance, as determined by their hierarchy of interests. They prioritize their most meaningful pursuits and dedicate time to them, while also finding small pockets of time for less important activities that bring joy and diversity.
What advice does the speaker give for dealing with the feeling of having to do everything right now?
-The speaker advises to accept that doing everything is impossible and to focus on what's most important in the present. They suggest deferring some interests to the future and recognizing that building one's character is a lifelong game, allowing for new pursuits to be added when time and capacity allow.
How did the speaker develop a new skill without adding to their schedule?
-The speaker developed a new skill by reframing an existing task. In their case, they had to start cooking every meal for themselves when they went to college. Instead of viewing this as a chore, they decided to learn and improve their cooking skills, turning a necessity into an opportunity for growth.
What is the speaker's perspective on the influence of social media on one's sense of accomplishment?
-The speaker believes that social media can lead to feelings of inadequacy and jealousy, as it exposes individuals to a vast array of skills and achievements that others have accumulated over years. They advise using others' success as motivation rather than letting it sabotage one's own progress and to recognize the value of one's own unique skills.
What does the speaker say about the emotional journey of pursuing a new interest or skill?
-The speaker describes a five-stage emotional journey: uninformed optimism, informed pessimism, the valley of despair, informed optimism, and finally achievement. They emphasize that struggle and overcoming challenges are necessary parts of growth and mastery, and that understanding this journey can help one persist through difficult times.
Outlines
๐ฑ Struggling with the Desire to Do Everything
The speaker begins by expressing a common struggle of wanting to do everything and the fear of being boxed into a single role or task. They emphasize the human need for variety and growth, and the danger of becoming a 'jack of all trades, master of none.' The speaker shares their own experiences of jumping from one hobby to another without achieving success, highlighting the importance of finding balance and focus.
๐ Prioritizing Interests and Time Management
The speaker discusses the importance of prioritizing interests and managing time effectively. They share a personal exercise of ranking interests and using this hierarchy to plan their ideal week on Google Calendar. The speaker argues that by allocating time to the most important activities, one can make meaningful progress while still making room for less critical pursuits that bring joy and diversity.
๐ฏ Embracing a Long-Term Approach to Skill Development
The speaker advises on taking a long-term view of skill development, suggesting that it's okay to temporarily set aside some interests to focus on others. They emphasize the value of time and the need to make sacrifices for the things that matter most. The speaker also introduces the concept of reframing existing activities as opportunities for skill development without adding to one's schedule.
๐ Overcoming Shiny Object Syndrome and the Power of Persistence
The speaker addresses the issue of 'shiny object syndrome,' where the allure of new and different activities can distract from one's core pursuits. They discuss the negative impact of social media on self-worth and the importance of focusing on one's own skills and progress. The speaker also shares a personal story of learning to cook as a means of skill development without sacrificing other interests, and encourages finding joy in daily tasks as a way to progress in multiple areas.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กSpecialized Economy
๐กLifelong Learner
๐กJack of All Trades, Master of None
๐กShiny Object Syndrome
๐กBalance
๐กHierarchy of Interests
๐กTime Management
๐กRenaissance Man
๐กMemento Mori
๐กPolymath
๐กValley of Despair
Highlights
The speaker expresses a strong aversion to being confined to a single role or task, emphasizing the human desire for variety and growth.
The specialized economy is criticized for potentially limiting personal development and exploration.
The importance of being a lifelong learner and maintaining curiosity is highlighted as a sign of a well-rounded individual.
The danger of spreading oneself too thin across too many activities, leading to a lack of progress, is discussed.
The phrase 'jack of all trades, master of none' is critiqued for being both inaccurate and discouraging.
A personal story is shared about the struggle to find balance between pursuing multiple interests and achieving tangible success.
The concept of the 'Renaissance Man' is introduced as an ideal of mastery in multiple fields.
The necessity of prioritizing and focusing on the most meaningful pursuits is emphasized to avoid dilution of effort.
A practical exercise is suggested for creating a hierarchy of interests to better allocate time and resources.
The benefits of time management are discussed, despite initial skepticism, and a personal success story is shared.
A method for planning an ideal week using Google Calendar is described to align activities with one's priorities.
The acceptance of making sacrifices in less important areas to focus on higher priorities is advised.
The idea of deferring some interests to the future is presented as a strategy for managing the desire to do everything.
The concept of reframing existing tasks as opportunities for skill development is introduced.
The influence of social media on feelings of inadequacy and the need to focus on one's own progress is discussed.
The emotional journey of pursuing a new interest, including the valley of despair, is outlined as a normal part of the learning process.
The final achievement stage, where effort leads to success and a sense of accomplishment, is described.
The video concludes with an invitation for viewers to share their own experiences and advice on balancing multiple interests.
Transcripts
I want to do everything the idea of
being pushed into this box and deprived
of the room to Branch out and try
different things that's horrible to me
and chances are this gets even worse
when you enter a career because of this
hyp specialized economy we've built
that's not how humans work we're on this
Earth for more than being just a cog in
a machine doing this one specific task
and becoming good at one specific thing
and if you share that feeling that's
amazing because that's the sign of
someone curious someone who's a lifelong
learner and someone who's always wanting
to try new things and explore everything
the world has to offer so this feeling
is good but if you don't manage it
correctly you could be digging a hole
beneath yourself one that's going to
sabotage you later on in your Chase to
do everything you end up moving nowhere
because your focus is so diluted across
many different activities you've heard
the phrase jack of all trades master of
none and I kind of hate that saying for
two reasons first because it's wrong in
practice and second of all you don't
have to be considered a master to be
good at something but to give it some
credit we still have to balance our
focus and at least make some progress
somewhere because if you jump from Hobby
to hobby from business to business
you'll never make any solid movement
forward in any direction this is shiny
object syndrome digging a trap for you
and you falling into it and if you're
expecting me to say you have to abandon
this and become specialized then you'd
be wrong because there is a way to
compromise there is a way to do both
things the magic is in the balance and I
know this because I've been through the
struggle the desire to do everything
only to be stretched so thin that
nothing gets done I've tried and failed
a bunch of different Hobbies Pursuits
business plans you name it for example
before I started this channel I jumped
from logo design to Brand identity and
then finally to thumbnail design and I
had nothing to show for it along the way
except the learning I never succeeded in
the traditional sense I love the idea of
the Renaissance Man the character who is
good at many different skills and
reliable but at the same time it's not
an excuse to suck at all of them it's
good to fail and learn from mistakes but
not forever at some point we have to see
some action today I'm happy to say that
I found that balance I found a way to
consistently improve in many different
areas but also not in the sense that
it's unrealistic and leaves me feeling
disappointed I like to read I like to
write I like to lift to play the violin
and of course to make videos that help
you I'm so grateful for having that
balance because it was hard fought it
took a long time to settle down and find
the things that mattered to me but even
today despite all of that I get this
inner voice saying when are you going to
start this when are you going to start
that when are you going to Branch out
when you going to do this and that and
this and that and it's a nightmare so
here I want to share everything I've
learned along the way about managing the
desire to do everything and staying
focused every strategy and every
principle that helps me become a
generalist but at the same time keeps me
focused enough to see consistent results
in each area first we have to face an
uncomfortable truth that doing
everything is impossible we all have the
same 24 hours and we will have a bunch
of essential duties we have to complete
every day so how do you budget your time
with intention how do you avoid
overfilling your plate and then getting
frustrated that you can't eat it all I
did this by making a hierarchy of all my
interests with just a 10-minute exercise
you can really narrow down your scope
and create a realistic plan for
improvement so just over a year ago I
came to the harsh conclusion that I had
to smarten up I couldn't do everything
and it was time to create a plan a plan
of what to do on a piece of paper I
wrote down all of my interests things
like skills to learn Hobbies business
ideas everything so I sat down in the
Silence of my bedroom to have a think
what on this list is most important to
me I chose my answers and I ranked them
based on how precious they were so the
things at the top would be the
activities that I couldn't live without
and as you go down the list they
suddenly become less and less important
since my most meaningful Pursuit settled
at the top of the list it gave me this
Vision this Clarity on where I should be
spending my time because before I was
overwhelmed I had all these ideas in my
head of what to do but once I had them
laid out here I could see things with a
bird's eye view and it made much more
sense on picking what I should
prioritize and what made maybe is more
of a distraction in fact you could even
do this right now where you sit get out
a piece of paper and just jot down some
of the interests that matter to you this
takes just a few minutes and it will set
you up for the next step which is how
you create your personalized strategy
for dealing with them the next step is
the time management itself and I can't
help but cringe a little when I hear the
words time management because I always
Associated to the the finance hustle
Bros and the self-help gurus but
regardless of that link I can't deny the
value of it time management works and I
can voucher it because last year I
started planning every single day my
week on Google Calendar and I must say
it's one of the best changes I've made
in my life for actually getting more
done of course at first I had my doubts
to me this seemed picky and obsessive
like I was micromanaging every minute of
time and not allowing myself to enjoy
life but after trying it myself I
realized I was wrong I had the wrong
picture because it's not an excuse to
constantly work 24/7 nor is it an excuse
to neglect your family and your friends
it's just a way to value your time and
to use it with more intention time is
the raw resource that you need to reach
all of your goals whether they're in
Fitness in your social life in your
business in everything so if you can
effectively manage your time and align
it with your ideals then the success
will follow on from there now let's pull
the idea back to your interests I took
this list of interests that I made
earlier and I went on Google Calendar
and I used this list to plan out my
ideal week one that would give me the
foundations for getting where I want to
be and because you ranked everything in
order of importance you can really
allocate the time correctly and give
more time to what matters the most for
example making quality videos is my
priority at the moment even above
college work which is probably not
something I should be saying but I don't
care it's a priority so I'm willing to
spend way more time on that than even
College work my schedule is full of
editing it's full of script writing and
coming up with new ideas my second most
precious goal is to become a better
writer so naturally I dedicate lots of
time to it sure I'd love to have more
time to practice illustration maybe or
do something with my hands but the point
is I simply don't have the time to give
that because for every hour I spend
chasing some side hobby or interest I
lose one hour for something more
meaningful to me this is a zero sum game
and you have to be willing to make
sacrifices but now for the good news you
can still be well-rounded you can still
make time for the less important things
that bring you Joy and bring you
diversity because once you have your
calendar with the bird's ey view on the
most important things you can find those
little pockets of time for other
activities for example I've been playing
the violin since since the end of 2019
and even though it's been so many years
I'm still not that good at it I'm kind
of bad and I know why it's because I
practice for maybe half an hour maybe
four times a week is that enough to get
proficient no I know that if I wanted to
get better I'd probably have to double
my time spent practicing and maybe get a
teacher too but right now I'm not going
to do either of those things and it
might sound counterintuitive but it
makes sense it all it's all in line with
my strategy to me violin is a side Hobby
and I value my main ones over it I mean
sometimes I'll even quit the violin
session early just because I want to
finish a script or do some more writing
but despite all that there are Pockets
during my week that I can drop
everything and just play some music and
for that small investment of time I
still get the chance to improve my
skills and also enter this whole
different world of creativity to me that
is a powerful balance that is truly The
Best of Both Worlds the next tip is
something I wish someone would have told
me earlier it would have saved so much
mental burden and just freed me of the
feeling that I have to do everything
right now if you want the sustainable
part of becoming well-rounded then I
hate to say it but you may have to scrap
some of your interests just for now just
temporarily I'm quite young sure I might
get hit by a car tomorrow but chances
are I have several decades left to live
and through the mystical power of
YouTube analytics it's probably the same
for you so then why are we stressing why
are we trying to juggle a bunch of
different Hobbies right now that's what
I used to do I had the a narrow view of
time and it made me miserable now I'm
all for momento Mori and I'm all for
enjoying the present but it's no fun if
you feel obligated to fill every single
spare minute with one of your 10
different hobbies and that's why I'm
happy to not follow certain things I
know my plate is full today and I have
no room to add anything to it but at the
same time I'm sure that at some point in
the future I will be given the chance to
create time and create room for new and
exciting Pursuits building your
character is a lifelong game literally
so if you feel the same way maybe
overwhelmed by too many options then I
invite you to reflect what can I defer
to the Future which Pursuits can wait so
that the more important ones can shine
in the here and now this next tip I'm
quite proud of because I haven't seen it
anywhere else and I use it to develop
some new skills without adding anything
to my schedule in other words I spent
zero extra time doing this it sounds too
good to be true but believe me it's not
because rather than adding new things to
your schedule you reframe existing ones
this will make more sense with the story
so bear with me in my first year of
college I had to start cooking every
meal myself yeah tragic I know but no
more could I rely on the home-cooked
meals I was used to and of course it's
no big deal to me now but at the time it
was a big change it was intimidating
even back then I knew all about
cooking so I had two choices do I make
struggle meals for myself every day like
we're under siege or something or do I
learn how to cook maybe you can see
where this is going with my budget right
now I can't afford to eat out very often
nor do I want to screw up my health with
lowquality ready meals so I have to
start cooking I thought to myself since
I can't avoid it I may as well get good
at it so from that day onwards I took a
little bit of extra effort to improve my
cooking skills I would watch technique
videos on YouTube I would find good
recipes I would pick up the ingredients
on the way home from college or whatever
and I would do my best to execute the
recipes properly I learned all the
fundamentals uh basic knife skills
things like heat transfer and how
different foods pair with each other
sure I had my failures and I had
frustrations but what did I get out of
it well I got some damn good food and a
skill that I would use for the rest of
my life and I could do all of this at no
extra cost to any of my other interests
so again I ask you to reflect is there
something every day that you have to do
that you could find joy in improving
maybe you have lots of essay assignments
at school yeah sure the topic may be
boring but you can at least focus on
doing the writing well maybe you manage
a small team at work so you can pick up
a few books on leadership and develop
that maybe you love a good coffee so you
find a new Brewing method and make that
taste really nice the possibilities are
endless and they're exciting so get out
there and find what works for you I have
two more smaller tips that help me
progress in many areas without feeling
overwhelmed the first one addresses the
source of the problem it reveals where
this desire to do everything might
actually come from in the first place
yes being curious and hungry to learn is
part of it but that's not the problem
the real issue is shiny object syndrome
starting the next thing just because
it's different and refreshing and that's
just a distraction from the Pursuits
that matter the most to you and looking
back into my past I can see a subtle but
disturbing influence coming from my
phone and I can guarantee this has
happened to you because whenever I
scroll through YouTube shorts or
Instagram reals I end up just feeling
disappointed with myself and not for the
reason you'd think the time wasting but
something completely different instead I
feel a sense of shame because I have
tricked my mind into thinking that I'm
not doing enough and that I have to keep
doing more and more and more for example
I might see a cool video on soap making
and I think to myself damn that's cool I
wish I could do that and then 2 seconds
later I see someone making me from
scratch in the living room again that's
amazing that's absolutely fantastic I
wish I could do that and maybe 2 minutes
later I see someone showing off their
notebook and it has these beautiful
pencil drawings in ultra realistic
detail of these Renaissance statues and
sculptures and again this is fantastic
within the space of maybe 10 minutes
you've been exposed to results of years
maybe Decades of practice and experience
in like 50 different crafts and hobbies
it's inspiring don't get me wrong but
there's Dark Side to it you might be
left feeling inadequate feeling that
what you're doing is not enough and that
you should be doing everything you're
seeing the worst part is it's totally
irrational and you and I know that you
have your own skills ones that are
valuable to the world and just because
you don't share the same 50 skills you
see online that doesn't make your skills
any less valuable and I have to learn to
block out this feeling of jealousy
almost the jealousy that I can't do what
they do I want other people's creative
success to be motivation for my own not
a form of sabotage so just keep that
mind the next time you scroll through
social media my last tip fixes this
problem from the opposite end and if you
combine it with every other principle on
this list then you've created yourself I
think a bulletproof plan for reaching
that ideal of the the polymath the
renaissance man if you were tired of
harsh truths then I'm sorry cuz there's
one more and I promise it's the last one
following your interests will not always
be fun there will be moments of
annoyance struggle and burnouts and this
is true for everything because Mastery
requires that you overcome challenges to
grow you must struggle you must learn
and you must overcome things that were
holding you back I first saw this graph
from Alex hosi the famous business guy
and it describes the stages of emotion
that a entrepreneur goes through when he
starts a business and this stuck to me
ever since I saw it because you can
apply this to your hobbies as well the
first step is uninformed optimism you
see this new skill and you're excited it
looks fun and you dive into it with all
this confidence in The Next Step things
get darker you start to realize this is
not all fun in games and things might
just get harder from here this step is
in formed pessimism the novelty wears
off and you realize this is harder
than it looks I'm going to have to put a
lot more effort in than I previously
thought and don't worry because it gets
worse in step three you've entered the
valley of Despair when you enter a new
interest this will be the closest you
get to your breaking point in the valley
of Despair all you can see are the
negative things and you realize this is
really damn difficult again you're at a
Crossroads at this point many people
will quit and they'll look to the next
hobby so they can start that whole cycle
all over again however if you choose to
stick with it and push past that dip you
enter step four informed optimism and
from here things start to get better
because you've seen the dark side but
you also know that with effort and
consistency you can push past that and
you can achieve greatness alongside the
struggle and you also see things start
to pay off and that's where you get the
motivation to continue until you reach
step five which is achievement you
achieved something and in this case
that's a healthy set of skills that you
can be proud of and that's it that is
everything and that was a long video so
thank you for sticking around it's
everything I've learned in my journey to
do lots of different things but keep it
realistic and not sabotage myself in the
process the treasure is in the balance
of it of course I still have a long way
to go in my own journey and I'm hoping
that at least one thing from this list
can help you in that same journey and of
course I'd love to hear your experience
on this maybe some advice that you would
give to someone on a similar path or
maybe some experiences you had with
staying focused the comments are open my
emails are open and thank you for
watching
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