talking2myself

The Co-Founder Syndrome

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyse a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialisation is for insects.”

Attributed to Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) an American science fiction writer, I was reminded of this quote a couple of times recently when a friend of mine criticised my blogs of being unfocussed.  In his opinion, only those who specialise are likely to make money out of their blogs and I am on a hiding to nothing.  I obviously have specific aims for my blogs that escaped his notice but I digress.

If you subscribe to the American self help success model, then specialisation is by far the most frequent strand of the success formula.  The advise goes along the these lines, ‘decide what you want to do, want if badly, crave it and then go for it with all your heart and mind’ including, of course, not being sidetracked by other little things like friends and family and other aspects of life.  The gurus will point to examples of successful people that, at least from the outside, who prove the case.  But is that necessarily true?  Even someone as single focussed on golf as Tiger Woods had time to not only do but plan extra-curricula activities!  Another example, the British tycoon, Richard Branson (him of Virgin fame) appears to be focussed many business ventures that you got to wonder if he gets 48 hours a day as opposed to the rest of us.

There is a group of successful people that do not exhibit that single minded focus or at least not for extensive periods of time, people I call the co-founders.  The most famous of these people is a hero of mine, Paul Allen. Co-founder of the mighty Microsoft, Mr Allen has proved to have a wide range of interests many that he backs up with his money. 

Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your point of view, humans are multi-talented or multi task orientated and that is what has made us a successful species.  The vast majority of us cannot and do not focus on one thing only.  Is it so bad to want to be a good say salesman as well as a good father?  An excellent mechanic as well as an exceptional husband?  All tasks require work and attention and life is interesting; most of us would get bored doing one thing for an extended period of life.  

Some of us who have bought into the ‘single mindedness’ theory continue to go back to the self help industry, blaming ourselves for our lack of concentration, to seek the inspiration to achieve our goal.  That’s what keeps them busy! 

I am sometimes amazed at the wide range of subjects I find interesting and I sometimes wonder if my ‘Jack of All Trades’ mentality will hinder me in the future but I somewhat recognise that my disquiet is due to the recent emphasis on specialisation in this industrial age.

Obviously with competing interests, goals etc, balance is required and this is what this blog is about, finding a balance.  Using my personal experiences either directly or indirectly, this blog discusses issues that affect life’s balances which I hope you will take on board with your own experiences to create your own unique formula for happiness.  Note, your own, not prescribed.

I believe we should embrace our wide ranging interests and goals and strive to achieve a balance that will generally leave us content with our lot.

May you find the balance.