I picked up Seth Godin’s audiobook version of The Dip because I figured it would be relevant to both Chris and me, and I thought it might be easier for him to listen to an audiobook than to read yet another book while going through accelerated college classes.
Anyway, it’s quite good so far (I keep getting interrupted about 5 tracks into the CD).  But the idea that is currently whacking me between the eyes with the 2 x 4 of Truth is that to be the Best in the World, you have to quit a LOT of stuff.  I suck at quitting. The upside to that has been that I’ve persevered through a lot of really tough circumstances where lots of other people would have just thrown up their hands and thrown in the towel. The downside is that I’ve wasted a lot of time refusing to quit pursuits that weren’t exactly the best use of my personal resources.
Further complicating matters is that I am and have always been a Jack of All Trades. But the point Seth makes is that when you try to be a Jack of All Trades, being Master of None goes hand in hand.  And being the Master has a lot of benefits.
Let me tell you, I am feeling the pain of that inability to limit my focus right now. All the irons I’ve got in the fire currently are burning my …. well, you get the idea.
So of course, it’s an ideal time to add another, right?
I checked my email and found one from the Louisville Municipal Liaison for NaNoWriMo. You know, that month-long novel writing contest I never complete. Anyway.  I thought, wow, it’s a little early to be thinking NaNo.  Guess what? It wasn’t about writing a novel in a month. It was about writing a screenplay or script in a month.
Apparently, the folks behind NaNoWriMo are starting a new insanity called Script Frenzy, wherein writers attempt to finish a large theatrical piece during June.
Actually, of the two, I’d rather do Script Frenzy than NaNo. And I’m not sure it doesn’t contribute to me trying to become “the best in the world” at something. I do need to drop some stuff. For example, I’ve had a couple of offers to do websites, and since my employer changed their official freelancing policy, I could do it.  But I won’t. Because I’m never going to be an awesome website developer or designer. And trying to be a “fairly good” one would sap time, energy and focus that would be better applied to my efforts to kick hiney as a mom, wife and writer.
I’ll probably write more about this later, but I am still getting back in the swing of things after my sabbatical, and that’s a lot to chew on for now.
