A Reframe of the “One Mission Only” Myth

Why Doing Many Things at Once Might Be the Smartest Move You Ever Make

There’s a narrative out there—especially in leadership and entrepreneurship—that says if you really want to excel, you need to be laser-focused. One mission. One career track. One hobby. No distractions. No detours. Full stop. Granted, research states that you need to spend 10,000 hours doing something to reach full mastery. However….do we really need to reach that level with everything?

My perspective – that advice may be limiting your joy in life. (It absolutely is limiting it!) I’m here to tell you that it’s not only okay to do multiple things at once—it might just be your superpower. Let’s dig in.

Multidimensional Living Fuels Creativity

When you stretch yourself across different roles, hobbies, and pursuits, something beautiful happens: your brain lights up in ways that linear focus alone can’t replicate.

• Your work in one area cross-pollinates with another. (Forgive the beekeeper in me for the pun!)
• A lesson in the garden teaches you something about team dynamics. 
• A side project opens your eyes to a new tech solution you bring back to your day job.

This isn’t scatterbrained. This is strategic. I have experienced this repeatedly in life. My blacksmithing taught me about how to appropriately use power. If I just banged with full force at the wrong heat or angle, it was WORTHLESS! Learning how to prepare the material, strike when it was HOT, and know when to pause was a gentle reminder for leadership skills. Plus, who doesn’t feel badass when they blacksmith? 

Optionality Is Power

The more things you explore, the more skills you build, and the more networks you create, the more future doors you unlock.

• That random design class? Might lead to your next startup idea.
• That side hustle? Could be your escape hatch from burnout.
• That photography hobby? It might sharpen your leadership storytelling more than any MBA ever could.
  

The best pivots don’t happen in a vacuum—they come from people who were already moving in multiple directions and ready to recognize the signs. My current job at Biolocity came from volunteering on boards and lecturing classes in my spare time. It kept me engaged in an ecosystem I loved, and now I get paid to give back to it. #Winning

Doing More Can Actually Build Better Focus

Here’s the paradox: juggling multiple things forces clarity. When your time is limited, you stop wasting it. Have you heard the phrase, “If you want something done, give it to the busiest person you know?” When your energy is pulled in different directions, you learn to manage it with more discipline. Many high-achievers aren’t burned out from doing too much. They’re exhausted from doing too little of what lights them up. This is a key – say yes to what you want to do and no to what doesn’t light you up. Choose wisely…but feel the freedom to choose!

Why the “One Thing” Model Can Be Dangerous

The cult of focus can quietly turn into a trap:

• You build an identity so tightly around one thing that when it shifts, you crumble. (Really crappy for times like COVID-19 and political changes in 2025…)
  
• You ignore other parts of yourself until they rebel. (Family, community, dreams…)
  
• You assume success only comes from depth—but overlook how often breadth breeds resilience.
  

You are more than one job, one company, a single set of checklists. Explore all of the facets of yourself and give space for each of them to thrive and excel. 

Permission to Be a Polymath

You are allowed to be a leader and a beekeeper.
A CEO and a blacksmith.
A parent and a podcast host.
A strategist and a nonprofit philanthropist.

Ask me how I know…

In fact, the world needs people like you—people who color outside the lines and can connect dots others don’t even see.

Build for the Pivot You Can’t Yet See

Your future self will thank you for the saxophone you picked back up (I wrote this for myself and the saxophone in my office that calls to me every day!).
For the weekend biking group.
For the nonprofit board you are passionate about, that you said yes to.

This isn’t about multitasking for the sake of busyness. It’s about designing a rich, layered, and resilient life. Check out a few of my hobbies. 

So here’s your invitation:

Do the thing.
Try the experiment.
Say yes to the unexpected path.
Live a life so interesting, your pivot won’t be a crisis—it’ll be a natural next step.

Because being a badass doesn’t mean doing less.
It means doing what makes you come alive—and trusting that the “more” you bring to the table is precisely what makes you unstoppable.

(Secret Note: Michael, I wrote this for you! Send me photos of your blacksmithing!! Yes – these are my bare hands with thousands of bees on them!)

Be Brave. Be Badass.