"Focusing is about saying no. And you’ve got to say no, no, no. And when you say no, you piss off people."

— Steve Jobs

He said that because resources are limited, proper focus means rejecting even good ideas. It's the only way to build a great product that is more than the sum of its parts.

I get excited about new ideas, partnerships, and collaborations. I don't like to say no to people.

And that has cost me my focus.

When I started as a freelancer, I didn't consider it a proper business, which was a mistake.

It's not about taking on different jobs here and there and focusing on the product.

Yes, you need a product (service) to sell that is based on your expertise.

You get one, but no one knows about it. Marketing.

Some people learn about it, but no one is buying it. Sales.

A few people are buying it, and you need to deliver quality. Execution.

I'm still working on problem #1, getting enough leads.

And it's the same problem that so many other businesses have.

The lesson I'm learning is that I need to say no to more things that may be exciting but don't move the needle.

And I need to double down on the things that do. Not 2x. 10x.

It's easy to quit when you don't see results, but I've spent my fair share of time in the gym. You can look in the mirror every day and not see a change.

But double down on training and compare your reflection to a photo from six months ago, and you will see a difference.

Even if you're not a freelancer, the lessons are universal.

I've also messed this up as a technical lead. I said yes to features or initiatives that turned out to be a dead end, wasting months of development time.

If you want to build a great product, you need focus. It means saying no.

Even to things you may want to do.

And that is hard.

P.S. What are you saying yes to, which is preventing you from reaching your goal sooner? What could you say no to, to focus on the things that matter? Let me know.

Best regards,

Taj