I have been told that one must focus so that one can do the best. In general, I agree with this proposition.
All of my life I have sought to focus, but I have found myself doing many things.
Underneath it all is the nagging concern that I will be unable to do anything best, because I am engaged in so many things, because I am engaged in so much.
Now every new thing I do goes through a rigorous criterion. I don’t do it unless I believe I am supposed to do it.
I value the virtues of diligence. It is my goal to finish each pursuit. Nevertheless, I am anguished, at times, over my complex pursuits.
I believe in simplicity. I believe in focus. But, I am afraid of over-simplifying, and I am afraid of saying “no” to something that I should be doing.
The point of these reflections is only this: We need to examine the foundational premise that it is best to do the best at something. Now, I am not giving up my hope of being best in the one area that matters most, but on the other hand I am cognizant of the fact that we must examine the concepts of “best” and of “focus.”
Could one offer a cogent argument that it is better not to be best but rather good at multiple pursuits?
In doing so, isn’t one simply engaging in a different kind of “best?”
The answers deserve more attention.
