Unquiet

There are a few reasons I read my friend [Michal’s blog][1]; the first, of course, is that he’s someone I consider a friend. We haven’t really communicated much in the intervening years, but he was one of several people I knew in Georgia who undertook the BFL challenge at the same time and faced many of the same challenges I did. The second is that, when I read what he writes, especially when he talks about creativity and managing his creative impulse in an effort to do something great, I hear much of my own struggle: do I run after every inspiration I have? Or do I focus on the ones that matter most to me?

[1]: http://withoutane.com

The third reason, however, is because he writes [posts like this][2]. He’s got a background in NLP, something I’ve only dabbled with, and has the stomach for business motivational literature that I don’t… (my father tried to get me to read some of his Dale Carnegie course materials once… and then there was this book that popped up a while ago with something to do about cheese)

[2]: http://sabren.com/?p=111

So he teases out of these books some real gems, such as the __Hedgehog Concept__, which is about doing:

>what you are deeply passionate about
>what drives your economic engine
>what you can be the best in the world at

Simple concept, yes, but it expresses the core of my own philosophy — “Don’t waste time with things you don’t need or don’t care about.” Combine that guideline with the [rapidly dropping cost of starting a business][3], and you realize that following your passions and your talents, in this market, is not only economically feasible but the best possible practice.

[3]: http://www.paulgraham.com/vcsqueeze.html

But what really moves me about Michal’s post is this:

>Before sabren.com became a fishbowl, there was a simple page here that said __online tools for creative minds__, with links to my two brands.

>__That’s what I’m passionate about__. Nothing makes me happier than helping creative people get their ideas out into the world: especially if they can make a living at it.

That, dear readers, is focus. I wanted to jump up and say “How can I help!?!” at the end of that post, and the only reason I didn’t is that I’m having to do some prioritizing of my own right now.