This article, and the articles that follow analyze my thoughts on what I am calling my “end game.” You can read more about this concept here.
In my “end game” narrative, I shared the following topic which is one I find to be omnipresent throughout the spectrum:
“The challenge at this level is balancing one’s ability to produce efficiently and effectively while remaining reasonably connected with others.”
As a refresher, the primary reason for focusing so heavily on “deep work” is a continuous desire to maximize one’s potential. However, there is a second reason which exists at a more subconscious level that requires examination.
While this may not be obvious to some, one’s ability to form and maintain close relationships with others depends heavily on the quality of past relationships. This is true in both professional and personal contexts.
If one’s “success rate” is low, the desire to form new relationships in either context will also be low.
This can pose a problem for two reasons:
Reason #1: Challenging assignments and new ideas typically originate from other people. Not staying connected with others places an artificial restriction on one’s ability to learn about, and engage in new opportunities.
Reason #2: Spending too much time working, and not enough time interacting, goes against the principle of deep work. Hard work requires intense concentration, and thus time spent in this area is somewhat limited by default (~4 hours per day). Maintaining a balance is considered beneficial.
Over the past decade, I have personally experienced numerous challenging relationships which have tested me in countless ways. With each experience comes a period of recalibration, which is a necessary step towards establishing appropriate boundaries and controls.
I will explore this topic in greater detail in my next post.