Frank Slootman, CEO of Snowflake, in a podcast conversation with Patrick O’Shaughnessy was my lunch hour listen. The ‘narrow the focus, increase the quality’ comment was fascinating, primarily because I struggle with narrow focus. I have heaps of things on the boil at any given time, at work and in my personal life.
Nearly every successful human – and I don’t mean it in the narrow sense of financial or career terms – I know a great ability to focus on a handful of things. I’m envious of people who have that kind of focus. It’s a resolute strength to say no to many good things so they can say yes to the one or two great things they are after. I can’t, and won’t judge their choice of greatness. I can and will admire their ability to zone in on the thing that really matters and stay with it for a long time. It feels like they can hold on far longer than I can hold my breath.