Less, But Superior and More Powerful

Every so often, I remind myself that this is a blog, a space where I can share insights from my journey as a VR developer, entrepreneur, and blogger. My hope is that these experiences resonate with those on similar paths. Today, I’m diving into a new approach I’ve begun exploring recently, and I believe it could be beneficial for others as well.

If you’re familiar with my work, you know my deep-rooted enthusiasm for Virtual Reality, or as Meta prefers, Mixed Reality. This passion pushes me to juggle multiple projects at once, from blogging and attending events to contractual gigs and personal projects. Initially, I embraced every opportunity that came my way. I enjoyed the variety and achieved some fulfilling outcomes across various arenas. However, I soon realized that this approach, while rewarding, often left me overwhelmed and unfocused, hindering my ability to make a significant impact.

A few months back, inspired by books like “Antifragile” and some personal experiences, I developed a guiding principle for my work life: doing fewer, more meaningful things is preferable to doing a multitude of slightly beneficial tasks. Let me elaborate on this idea.

One area where this thinking became evident was social media. I often shared XR-related articles on Twitter/X. Whenever I stumbled upon something intriguing, I instinctively posted it, aiming to spread knowledge within the community. However, after observing others and reading up on the new algorithms, I noticed these posts often went unnoticed. The underlying issue? These posts weren’t engaging enough to evoke a response or emotion, and the external links weren’t favored by the platform’s algorithm. The reality was, I was sharing content that few people saw, wasting my time with little return—no new followers, no significant connections.

This realization prompted me to rethink my strategy. I began focusing on sharing only the most relevant content, putting in more effort to make the posts engaging. I’m not here to spark contentious debates, but I recognize the importance of crafting informative and appealing posts. This shift has led to more engagement and connections, which is rewarding.

The same principle applies across everything I do. Previously, I felt pressured to publish an article weekly, regardless of its relevance. Often, I ended up writing short, unimpactful posts just to maintain momentum. This approach was time-consuming and yielded little return in terms of followers, reputation, or valuable connections. Now, I choose to write only when I have something meaningful to share, ensuring that my content is worth the effort for both myself and my readers. This method allows me to have a more substantial impact, evidenced by a post about Android XR that caught significant attention and improved my blog’s visibility and reputation.

As a developer, I used to accept any contract work available, regardless of size. I’ve learned that working on a single $100,000 project (as part of a team) is far more beneficial than handling ten $10,000 projects. A larger project often involves reputable clients, boosts your portfolio, and can provide opportunities for professional growth. The experience gained from working on significant endeavors like the VR platform, VRROOM, greatly surpassed the cumulative learning from smaller projects.

Every endeavor involves costs, particularly time. Large projects reduce the overhead of managing multiple contracts and client interactions. While harder to secure, they offer better returns and growth potential. I’m not suggesting to forgo all small projects, especially given the current VR market, but it’s wise to prioritize larger, meaningful ones when possible.

This isn’t a groundbreaking revelation; if you’re familiar with Pareto’s Principle, you understand that 20% of your efforts yield 80% of your results. By focusing on high-impact activities, you can achieve similar outcomes with less effort.

I mentioned “Antifragile” because it discusses the disproportionate impact of significant actions. Just as one large stone has a greater effect than many small pebbles, impactful activities carry more weight than numerous trivial ones.

Quality is also paramount. When stretched too thin, it’s challenging to produce high-quality work. Focusing on less allows for more attention to detail, improving the value delivered and enhancing reputation. Quality work fosters satisfaction, provides value to others, and earns respect. I’m committed to maintaining high standards, ensuring clients know they’ll receive my best effort—a perspective that justifies higher rates for fewer but superior projects.

Success requires more than quality; consistency is vital. A single viral post may not yield lasting connections unless it’s part of a pattern of engaging content. Regularly delivering quality work helps build a loyal following and meaningful connections.

This concept extends to networking and events. This year, I applied the “fewer, better” philosophy at CES, maximizing its impact by forging connections and enhancing my understanding of the XR space. Attending fewer events can still yield significant returns if approached strategically.

Years ago, I learned a valuable lesson about networking from Francesco Ronchi, CEO of Synesthesia. True connections often develop over multiple encounters. Consistent interaction deepens relationships, highlighting the importance of sustained quality engagement.

Beyond immediate outcomes, consider long-term impacts. Achieving a viral post is satisfying, but its true value lies in how it shapes your career over time. Balancing daily tasks with strategic efforts toward significant milestones can propel your professional trajectory, enabling growth into managerial roles, media opportunities, or other substantial achievements.

These future-focused tasks, though slower and more challenging, provide direction and help strategically advance your career. Knowing your goals is crucial to identify these actions.

To wrap up this discussion: concentrate on fewer, more impactful pursuits to enrich both your present and future. This approach enhances value delivery, reduces stress, and increases satisfaction.

You might consider jotting down this mantra for a frequent reminder—a fitting sentiment considering its relevance to those pivotal moments each day.

I hope my reflections offer clarity and assistance to others seeking to enhance their professional lives. If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments—or spread the word on social media, with a touch of effort to make it count!