Chasing One Thing At A Time

On April 1st I read an op-ed piece in the NY Times on discipline. Even though the piece relates to baseball – a sport that is among my least favorite – I found it insightful for many areas of life. Discipline applies to all of us, not just MLB pitchers.

Parents discipline their children. It takes parents to get a child on track. Otherwise, they’re likely to lose their way. Teachers, coaches and other adult influences affect our kids – hopefully in a positive way. The collective teaching given to children provides them the understanding and discipline to behave properly.

The discipline we provide our kids is instructional – and sometimes it’s corrective. We teach them. Then sometimes we must correct them. Corrective discipline can involve some form of punishment so they learn the concept of negative consequences.

Discipline has many meanings. The meaning of the op-ed piece dealt primarily with the discipline needed to elevate performance.

Self-management is an ongoing challenge for most of us. We struggle with to-do-lists, distractions, dreams, goals, obstacles and all the stuff that everyday life throws at us. Many of us strive to find an improved level of discipline so we can better reach whatever potential we have. Some of us have no idea what our potential may be.

I’ve met very few people who have mastered the art of discipline. I used to subscribe to the notion of multi-tasking, but some years ago I abandoned that idea because I found it false. Multi-tasking is highly over-rated, the way most people use the phrase. What seems to be more appropriate is this mono-maniac on a mission (a Tom Peters-ism) idea. A person pursues something with single-minded purpose and finds a way to succeed. It’s true, they may then move on to a new thing thus making it appear they’re multi-tasking. In reality, they’re chasing one thing at a time. Perhaps THAT is discipline.

Focus. Discipline. I’m uncertain the difference. I do know it’s learned, which means it’s taught. Which is why I read. And read some more. And read some more. I know what I know. What I don’t know, is what YOU know. Yet knowledge is only part of the equation.

Where knowledge and action meet is where accomplishment takes place. I struggle with putting what I already know into action. I tend to strive for more learning. I realize that I’d likely propel my learning and accomplishment to the next level if I’d improve my doing. By acting, I could learn from my own doing while still learning more from others. It’s a two-for-one bargain. It’s a discipline I need to improve.

I suspect most people have the discipline to do something well. Some have the discipline to do many things well. Part of the effort is deciding where to focus your learning and energy. The desire to do everything ends up being the desire to do nothing. It’s that age old problem of, “If everything is important, then nothing is important.” There are many times that I just have too much on my plate – too many “I want to be able to” items. I need to get on track toward something, then stay there long enough to win.

I recently purchased a guitar – not to become another Eric Clapton, but to stretch my aging brain. I knew guys in high school who spent every waking moment playing guitar. They were very accomplished. I know guys today who have played for years. And they too are very good. I never had the single-minded focus to play the guitar, or any other instrument. So, I never learned. Now, life is full of even more distractions. How often do you think I practice? You’re right – not often.

It mattered enough that I researched a purchase. It mattered enough that I spent good money on it (almost $600). But I lack discipline. Why?

Maybe because it’s so hard – it’s completely different than anything I’ve ever attempted (which, oddly enough, was the very reason I bought it – to stretch my brain). Maybe because I’m busy. Aren’t we all? But not too busy to do other things I like – like watch playoff hockey! No, I’m just making excuses. And there are no good ones.

One thing at a time. Want to play the guitar? Then practice until you learn. Don’t move on to anything else. Want to write a book? Write. Don’t move on until you’ve written it. Want to learn to race cars? Then take courses and race. Don’t move on until you’ve done it.

Can you do it all? No. And I’ve concluded that this is the real quandary – and reason why we like to claim we’re multi-tasking. By conning ourselves into thinking we’re great at juggling many things – we convince ourselves that we can have it all. Sure, we realize we’ll be less accomplished at some things than others, but we’re okay with that. But at the end of the day, we indeed are a jack of all trades and master of NONE. And when we finally review our accomplishments – if we’ve not been passionate enough to pursue one thing (at least, at a time) – then we’ve not done much at all.

Name the accomplished person. Pick the field. I’ll wager they’re a mono-maniac on a mission. I’ll also wager they’re disciplined in their pursuit of that mission.