The first thing I learnt about driving a car is that the car goes where you look. Hence the the idiom, “eyes on the road”.
Our perspectives on different things often dictate what we do, and, consequently, the results we see. A talented engineer who loves to write code and build apps they love will thrive at just that —building great apps and writing great code.
What about making money and all other superficial aspects of building great apps and writing great code? He probably won’t thrive at those if he doesn’t find it deserving enough of attention and focus.
Being good at one thing does not necessarily predispose you to success at another, if it is not a subject of focus for you. Skill does not confer magical outcomes.
The elite players in various genres of life show this. Bill Gates is a billionaire probably because he focused on building great software, just as much as he focused on making a lot of money from building great software.
Dennis Ritchie, a legend in computer science was a programming grandmaster who invented arguably the greatest programming language, C, and co-created the Unix operating system that would further influence modern computing and operating systems.
Unlike Bill Gates, Dennis had very little concern for the business side of writing code and building software.
Regardless of individual perspectives, both have left enduring legacies in their respective genres.
A similar parallel can be drawn for Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. One only cared deeply about engineering great products, while the other cared about great product engineering optimized to capture significant financial rewards for success.
Rakim is arguably best known as a rap “deity” who transformed hip-hop with his intricate rhymes and top-tier writing. Some regard him as the father of modern rap. He had very little care for commercial appeal, or financial interests. His perspective was simple: “for the love of the game”.
Drake has become the poster boy for heavily commercial, mainstream hip-hop and rap music. A lot of purists in the genre think he’s a poser. Some call him a hack. But one thing’s for sure, he’s taken the art and passion for rap, and demonstrably blended it with an intentional effort for commercial success. And it shows.
While one probably has just enough to be comfortable, the other is worth over half a billion dollars in endorsements, sales, shows, merch, royalties and assets. Because different perspectives heavily influenced their respective efforts, and ultimately, their outcomes. At the end of the day, both rappers have left their marks and will influence future generations of rappers.
If you have a sufficient enough interest in something, there’s a higher chance you get to see more outcomes involving said thing, than other people who don’t. I find that people tend to optimize for their perspectives. Even subconsciously. What are your perspectives? How well have they served you? Are your outcomes indicative of the quality of your perspectives?
Your perspective decides what your prize is. To the eyes, anything within the view of focus is the prize. And your body will respond accordingly, by steering towards it. It is said that a magician gets away with his tricks, not because you were not looking, but because you were not seeing. You only looked where he primed you to look.
To a salesman, just about everything is an opportunity to sell. Invited to a party? An opportunity. A reunion? An opportunity. A conference? An opportunity.
To an engineer wholly passionate about software, nothing is of greater value than doing just that. Otherwise, more engineers would probably just start their own companies. But they know it gets more complex than cranking out code.
If the goal is to speak better, then you will become better at it. If the goal is to educate, you’ll become better at it. If the goal is to play better football, you’ll become better at it.
Whatever perspective you adopt will inform focus and create improved outcomes.
It’s not surprising that professional footballers are great at playing football; that’s their goal and it dictates all their actions.
Perspective is the birthplace of differentiation. What you see will largely decide what you do. One sees opportunity, another sees nothing. One sees prospects for color, another sees grey. One sees a chance to build, another sees a wasteland.
You know what they say about focus? It magnifies. But then, what directs focus? Perspectives.
I also find that perspectives do not have to be binary. It is hardly this or that. Sometimes it is a blend of both. Not many are able to do so, however.
If there is a way to achieve both, you will find it. If there is a way to achieve one without the other, you will also find it if you care.
