I was reading an article in which one of the world’s most successful venture capitalists said something critical.
He said, “If you’re starting out, stick to what you know. It’s wise to focus on your area of expertise rather than venturing into sectors that you aren’t familiar with.”
I think many people, after 5 to 10 to 20 years and even beyond, find it difficult to achieve sustainable success because they do not start out and stick to what they know.
They quickly shift focus and do other things, mostly because of trends, or because they saw someone succeeding in that area, or because they just lack the consistency to master a particular path.
Check anyone who is doing great in any sector, go track their history, and you will notice years and years of hard work in that path. Focus is not just about ignoring distractions; it’s about dedicating your energies to become the best in your field. This dedication to focus is what sets them apart from the rest.
What is the way forward?
If you are starting out or are just in the early years of your journey, do the following:
- Identify what you know (if you are not skillful at anything yet, set out to pick a sector and become highly skilled in that sector).
Note: Identifying what you know or what you have the potential to excel at is the first step. It requires a deep dive into your interests, skills, and passions to discover where your expertise truly lies. - Stick to what you know and focus on improving to be among the top 10% in that sector.
Note: Mastery is not achieved overnight. It involves continuous learning, practice, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in your chosen field. - Find ways to scale what you know and keep doubling down on your impact.
Note: This might involve leveraging technology, building a team, or expanding your market reach.
Let me add this. Innovation within one’s field of expertise ensures that one remains at the forefront of their sector. This requires not just deepening existing knowledge but also branching out to adjacent areas that can enrich and augment one’s core skills. For instance, a financial analyst might explore data science to enhance predictive modeling capabilities, thereby offering more insightful analyses.
The journey to sustained success is a marathon, not a sprint. By identifying your expertise, focusing on it, and finding ways to scale your impact, you can achieve remarkable success.
To round off, let answer one of the most popular questions people always ask me:
How long does it take to achieve mastery in a field?
My opinion: Mastery is a continuous process, but significant proficiency can often be achieved with dedicated effort over several years. Like 4 years and above.
I invite you to join The School of Credibility, Attention & Thought Leadership where I teach people how to build, manage, maintain, and monetize credibility, attention, and thought leadership. Subscribe https://schoolofcatl.substack.com/
Blessings!
Dr. Joybert Javnyuy
