Week 10 - "Put all your eggs in one basket, and then watch that basket." - Andrew Carnegie

Thoughts of the Week

“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”

We’ve all heard it before. A saying often used to discourage or advise us against going all in on something. It could be a career, academic, or physical pursuit, but the sentiment is always the same. Don’t go all in.

Or do?

Recently, my perspective has shifted from this traditional view to almost the exact opposite. I’m not sure if it’s a result of becoming older or wishing I didn’t listen to this advice as a child, but I’ve started to become a much larger advocate for going all in your goals.

One common trap many of us fall into is trying to live a balanced life while also trying to be the best we can be in all areas. Unfortunately, this isn’t a realistic way to live your life. Anyone great at anything will tell you they only got that way by sacrificing other parts of their lives. For some, it’s sacrificing a social life for a physical pursuit and for others, it’s sacrificing one’s physical health for career success. No matter the goal, sacrifice is always required.

In other words, sometimes we need to take large risks and focus our energy on a single pursuit to reach our goals. In my opinion, doing this allows you to look back without any regrets about what could have been. If it doesn’t work out, you’ll never worry about what your potential was, but what if it does?

Additionally, when you focus all your energy on one thing, you’re much more likely to succeed than if you divide your focus. This is especially relevant in today’s world when we have a box full of distractions in our pockets at all times. It’s easy to give our energy into things that don’t deserve it which only takes away from what we really care about.

Now I’m not trying to say that a balanced life isn’t what we should strive for. On the contrary, I’m a large advocate for maintaining stability in all aspects of life. But I believe there’s a time in everyone’s life when balance should take a backseat while higher aspirations take the front.

Of course, going all in comes with its own set of risks, and there's no guarantee of success. However, if we don't take risks and see what could happen when we singularly devote ourselves to a pursuit, we'll never know what we were capable of. So while going all in isn't the right choice for everyone, it may be for you.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter and if you agree or disagree with anything I said.

Something to think about

Pictured above is your life in weeks. Each square represents a week, and the shaded ones indicate weeks already lived. It seems like a lot till you begin to fill in the weeks that have passed and once you factor in the average lifespan of an individual in the US, it looks a lot more like the one below.

And that’s just for an 18-year old…

What I learned This Week

1. When you suck at something, you’re safe from judgement

   “When you’re starting out, there are so few people looking at you, that even if you do fail, no one sees.” - Chris Williamson

Interesting content I consumed this week

Social Animal House: The Economic and Academic Consequences of Fraternity Membership

TLDR: This study examines the impact of fraternity membership on academic achievement and future income levels.

Nothing is “hard,” — it’s only your resistance to it that makes it so.

TLDR: This article provides an interesting take on our perceptions of the hard things in life.

If you enjoy receiving and reading this series, please consider sharing it with anyone you think may be interested. I love sharing the way I think with others and would love to hear others’ opinions on my ideas. Thanks!

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That’s all for this week! If you have any thoughts or suggestions on ways to improve this newsletter or parts you think could be in or excluded, please let me know!