Thread by @ronaldnzimora

21 Lessons My Mentor Taught Me

Lesson 8: The Man Who Scatters His Attention Ends Up Having Nothing

Let's Go.

The year was 2009, I had made money, but I believed I was working way too much without seeing commensurate results for the effort I was putting in.

So I went to my mentor s=for advice:

This conversation followed.

Dr. Ojeagbase: Ronald, what brings you here today, Son?

Ronald: Daddy, I am looking to get some advice from you. I believe I am doing so much yet, I am getting so little for the effort I am putting in. I do not think about the concept of waiting for time to crystallize things. I genuinely think something is wrong.
...

Dr. Ojeagbase: Okay Ronald. So let's discuss this. I know a couple of the things you do. What are the things I do not know about? How are you trying to make money?

Ronald: Well, I publish information which you already know, then I am tinkering with Forex. I am also trying to...

do affiliate marketing on the side. Recently, I am looking to charge more for my copywriting services...

Dr. Ojeagbase: Stop Ronald. There right there is your problem. You are doing way too many things.

Ronald: (Confused) Err?

Dr Ojeagbase: How many employees do you have?

Ronald: None

Dr. Ojeagbase: How many offices do you have?

Ronald: None, I work from your premises, Sir.

Dr. Ojeagbase: How many VAs do you have?

Ronald: None Sir.

Dr Ojeagbase: So you the only one managing all of these business streams?

Ronald: Yes Sir.

Dr Ojeagbase: So...

Dr. Ojeagbase: Tell me, how much time do you have in a day?

Ronald: 24 hours Sir.

Dr. Ojeagbase: How many of those 24 hours do you spend sleeping eating, bathing, and doing the things you must do each day?

Around 10-12 hours Sir.

Dr Ojeagbase: That leaves you 12 hours right?

Ronald: Yes Sir.

Dr. Ojeagbase. Tell me Ronald, how do you expert to be efficiently at doping copy for clients, running affiliate campaigns, publishing and marketing your e-books, doing FOREX and God knows whatever else, and do so effectively in 12 hours without any help at all?

*At this point, it dawned on me where the barrage of questions were going*

Ronald: I don't know Sir (I replied looking down)

Dr. Ojeagbase: Tell me Ronald, do you know what a rabbit looks like? How fast the run?

Ronald: Yes Sir I do.

Dr. Ojeagbase: Do you think you'll be...

successful at catching two rabbits if you pursue both at the same time?

Ronald: No Sir, thats practically impossible.

Dr. Ojeagbase: But that's what you're trying to do. You're trying to pursue 4 different business/income models at the same time.

You'll never be able to do...

any at an optimal level. You'll only achieve so and so results in some, and zero in others. You'll struggle and come short of your potential each time. And you'll wonder why things are not "changing" for you.

The good thing is you are wise to seek a solution. Here's what to do.

Take a pen and paper and write down everything you currently do to make money.

Next write down beside each one, how much you have made this year doing each of them.

next write again, how good you are at each of them considering your current knowledge and expertise.

Use...

a grading scale of GREAT (you are really good at it, and any additional knowledge increases your power), GOOD (you're average and will become great with time and more knowledge) and POOR (you're very poor at it or know nothing at all and need a lot of learning to stand a chance).

Then cross out every one where you have a score of POOR or GOOD.

Next, circle the thing on the list that's earned you the most money this year. Cross out everything else.

Now you're probably left with just one thing.

Double down on that one thing and increase your capacity...

at doing it.

Ignore everything else and do just this thing.

Anything else is a distraction that must be shut down immediately. Do this for the next three months. We will track your results then. It will be hard but if you want to make significant progress, you have to do it.

I did exactly as he said.

After I left him, I wrote the list, and doubled down. And like he said, it was hard, HARD! Do you realize how enticing it is to see yet another site promising you a new shortcut? But I did it.

In 3 months we sat down again and tracked my results and...

I made more money in that three months than I did in the preceding one year. I didnt keep most of it (he taught me waht to do about that which I will discuss in an upcoming lesson) but I was truly happy I had broken through.

It was a great lesson indeed.

Did you enjoy it? 🙂

P.S. I remembered something else (it's been a few years so I am. Trying hard to remember all of the details) . I asked him what if what I am only good at is making me the most money currently, and what I'm great at isn't?

He said: "Then you have to survive first. Keep doing...

what's making you money now but very quickly get the thing you're great at to replace that. If you can't do that, if you try and try and it doesn't change, then scratch that thing, and focus on being great at the thing you're good at that's making you the most money now".