On Wednesday, one of my good ‘bros’ was trying to reach me. I think he had, again, come across ‘the best idea’. (Sorry bro, I know you might read this but I got to share).
Unfortunately, I was preoccupied that day so couldn’t pick his calls. But, I sent him a WhatsApp message asking him if he was good. He said ‘yes’.
And, of course, followed it up with the usual ‘how’s everything on your end’ to which said, ‘good and pushing harder’.
However, I had contacted him some time back to write for me and he turned me down. So, I brought it up again in the conversation. He again said he was busy.
When I saw busy, I was interested and pressed him harder. ‘ BUSY? with What?’, I pressed. He replied, ‘starting two businesses, a job and blah blah’.
When he said starting two businesses, I switched off there and then. Who starts two businesses at ago? Boy, you got balls right there.
Just starting one business is hard. Now two? In all Honesty, I didn’t care to find out which businesses or listen to any explanation. I’m just against spreading yourself so wide especially if you don’t have a firm footing yet.
Business is not a first-shot, first hit game. It’s a first-several-shots-go-astray game. Just getting one off the ground is not easy. Now two?
I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times — Bruce Lee
People need to learn how to use the 80/20 rule in their favor. I’d rather be a master of one skill than average in everything.
I remember in the first quarter of this year when I was struggling with anxiety. I spoke to one of the few people I speak to. He asked me, ‘do you want to be extremely great or great?’. I replied, ‘the former’.
Then he asked, ‘which football team do you support?’ I told him ‘Real Madrid’. So, he asked me, ‘who’s the greatest player in their team?’ I said ‘Cristiano Ronaldo’. Then he asked, ‘how many numbers does he play?’. ‘One number, number seven’, I answered.
So, this goes out to all those starting businesses in Uganda and Africa, don’t aim at being the greatest at everything but just one thing. You can always then do M&As after you’ve grown.
You should also note that you’ll have a lot of ideas cross your mind. But you don’t have to chase all. Just pick one, just one — and stick to that.
Other than that, what we’re doing is gambling and not entrepreneurship.