The danger of the dabbler

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Reading this blog post by Mr. Brogan, something bubbled up from years of martial arts training.

Chris argues that the goal is the focus, not the method. Kenpo karate is the method, kicking the other guy’s ass is the goal. If you threw out all your methods, the goals would still be there.

Well, sometimes.

There are goals which are intimately tied into methods. How you get there is part of getting there. Abandon the method every so often for what seems to be a faster, easier, cleaner, newer, better method results in you becoming a dabbler. You’re reasonably okay at a lot of things. You’re not excellent at one thing. You never actually get to your destination, because you keep changing roads, cars, outfits, maps, GPSes, traveling companions, and take every detour imaginable because it seems faster.

Ever done this? You see a traffic jam ahead, get off at the next exit, and spend 30 extra minutes on side and back roads to go around the jam… which in reality is only a 10 minute traffic jam? I have. My hand is up. Guilty. This is the dabbler. This is the person who fails too fast.

The problem with the perspective of goal, goal, goal only (which isn’t what Chris is arguing, but which a lot of people will take away) and books like Seth Godin’s The Dip is that it’s too easy to quit early. It’s too easy to give up soon, to fail fast, when in fact you may not be failing at all, but working through your own limitations.

The other day I tweeted about the Dunning-Kruger effect, in which incompetent people are so limited by their abilities and lack of competence that they don’t realize they’re incompetent. The converse, that the competent are the last to get the memo, is also true. When it comes to goal-only perspectives, here’s the thing – your lack of meta-cognitive awareness about your limitations means that if you give up all the time, if you abandon ship too fast, you will NEVER reach excellence. Ever.

This is the danger of the dabbler. Before you give up, consider whether you’re not actually generating results because the method isn’t working, or because you haven’t amassed sufficient skill yet to make the method work for you. Admitting that is hard. Admitting that means forfeiting some ego and being willing to accept that you still have work to do, you still have more time to put in to achieve excellence…

… and as the Dunning-Kruger effect proves, you may be the last to get the memo about your excellence. Keep going!

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Comments

16 responses to “The danger of the dabbler”

February 8, 2010

Jon F. Merz

Exactly Chris. “How you get there is part of getting there.” This is a very important point. The method is also what defines you upon reaching whatever goal you've set for yourself. In our martial tradition, we've seen plenty of examples of those who come in focused on achieving a first degree black belt and their path toward that rank is perhaps best defined as “non passionate.” Eventually, they might get that rank, but along the way, they've also developed a reputation for not training hard, or otherwise displaying the characteristics of a mediocre practitioner. Whereas there are those who enter the dojo and train with passion and dedication and upon reaching their black belt, have much more than just the rank itself – they have the reputation for excellence, they have vision to understand that a first degree black belt is merely a Learner's Permit enabling them to actually get on the road to learning more, and they have the focus of the original goal itself, the first degree black belt.

In my own career, I see much the same thing from aspiring writers. Their goal is to be “published,” but by focusing only on the goal, they might end up being “published” by some place horrible like Publish America or Lulu.com. In their rush to become an author, they skirt the process of developing their craft to the point that a publishing contract with a traditional publishing house becomes the natural end result. The result is an avalanche of mediocre (at best) self-published books that might have actually been good and solid had their authors only endeavored to pursue a method of excellence rather than a goal of instant gratification.

Reply
February 8, 2010

Eric Randolph

Extremely valid perspective. I would however suggest that understanding the goal first and foremost will prepare you to choose the correct method. I believe this is a portion of what @chrisbrogan was concluding.

For example; using your driving/traveling analogy if my goal is to guarantee I arrive at the destination, sticking to the beaten path despite traffic is a most prudent method. If however, my goal is to arrive at the destination while discovering unique places along the way, sampling alternative routes makes good sense.

Whether focusing on the goal or the method, in the end, I believe taking action and getting off the sidelines is the launching point of all success.

-my 2 cents.

Reply
February 8, 2010

claudioalegre

Don't see how you can separate the two, method/goal. I prefer the concept of process instead of method Chris, it feels more fluid.
You only realize this once you've done it: in order to fail fast, you have to work hard AND fast. Churning out processes and methods given you've allowed them their shot at the title of course has worked for me in the past…but it takes work!

Reply
February 8, 2010

Jon F. Merz

Exactly Chris. “How you get there is part of getting there.” This is a very important point. The method is also what defines you upon reaching whatever goal you've set for yourself. In our martial tradition, we've seen plenty of examples of those who come in focused on achieving a first degree black belt and their path toward that rank is perhaps best defined as “non passionate.” Eventually, they might get that rank, but along the way, they've also developed a reputation for not training hard, or otherwise displaying the characteristics of a mediocre practitioner. Whereas there are those who enter the dojo and train with passion and dedication and upon reaching their black belt, have much more than just the rank itself – they have the reputation for excellence, they have vision to understand that a first degree black belt is merely a Learner's Permit enabling them to actually get on the road to learning more, and they have the focus of the original goal itself, the first degree black belt.

In my own career, I see much the same thing from aspiring writers. Their goal is to be “published,” but by focusing only on the goal, they might end up being “published” by some place horrible like Publish America or Lulu.com. In their rush to become an author, they skirt the process of developing their craft to the point that a publishing contract with a traditional publishing house becomes the natural end result. The result is an avalanche of mediocre (at best) self-published books that might have actually been good and solid had their authors only endeavored to pursue a method of excellence rather than a goal of instant gratification.

Reply
February 8, 2010

Eric Randolph

Extremely valid perspective. I would however suggest that understanding the goal first and foremost will prepare you to choose the correct method. I believe this is a portion of what @chrisbrogan was concluding.

For example; using your driving/traveling analogy if my goal is to guarantee I arrive at the destination, sticking to the beaten path despite traffic is a most prudent method. If however, my goal is to arrive at the destination while discovering unique places along the way, sampling alternative routes makes good sense.

Whether focusing on the goal or the method, in the end, I believe taking action and getting off the sidelines is the launching point of all success.

-my 2 cents.

Reply
February 8, 2010

claudioalegre

Don't see how you can separate the two, method/goal. I prefer the concept of process instead of method Chris, it feels more fluid.
You only realize this once you've done it: in order to fail fast, you have to work hard AND fast. Churning out processes and methods given you've allowed them their shot at the title of course has worked for me in the past…but it takes work!

Reply
February 8, 2010

Gravity

Nice angle, and the point about shortcuts in traffic is valid indeed.

Reply
February 8, 2010

Gravity

Nice angle, and the point about shortcuts in traffic is valid indeed.

Reply
February 9, 2010

Ivan Walsh

Hello Chris,

Speed is sickness.

When I lived in the US, I felt guilty if I wasn’t doing something, always on the go.

But some things can’t be rushed, like trust, friendship, appreciation. You can’t enjoy Mozart in a rush.

Today in live in China. It’s mad busy. But, here’s the difference.

The expectation here is that certain things have to be done slowly. Ever been to a dinner with Chinese-business men? There’s a reason it lasts 4 or 5 hours. They want to see who really you are… after you’ve had a few drinks and loosened up.

Like another person said on CBs site, the golden mean is balance.

Many people are driving 100 mph down an alleyway. Sometimes it’s good to pause for a moment and size things up.

Reply
February 9, 2010

The Dunning-Kruger Effect & How To Fail Slowly | IvanWalsh.com – Learn How To Run Your Business Online

[…] Penn discussed the Dunning-Kruger effect […]

Reply
February 9, 2010

Ivan Walsh

Hello Chris,

Speed is sickness.

When I lived in the US, I felt guilty if I wasn’t doing something, always on the go.

But some things can’t be rushed, like trust, friendship, appreciation. You can’t enjoy Mozart in a rush.

Today in live in China. It’s mad busy. But, here’s the difference.

The expectation here is that certain things have to be done slowly. Ever been to a dinner with Chinese-business men? There’s a reason it lasts 4 or 5 hours. They want to see who really you are… after you’ve had a few drinks and loosened up.

Like another person said on CBs site, the golden mean is balance.

Many people are driving 100 mph down an alleyway. Sometimes it’s good to pause for a moment and size things up.

Reply
February 9, 2010

Social Networking Software

Excellent article Christopher! I agree with you on the points most will take away from Chris Brogan's post (I read that one as well) is GOAL GOAL GOAL. I also agree with your point of failing too fast, so many are focused on the instantaneous achievement of their goals that they keep switching lanes mid-stream ensuring that they never actually get where their going. Looking forward to more posts like this one Christopher, keep up the great work.

Reply
February 9, 2010

Social Networking Software

Excellent article Christopher! I agree with you on the points most will take away from Chris Brogan’s post (I read that one as well) is GOAL GOAL GOAL. I also agree with your point of failing too fast, so many are focused on the instantaneous achievement of their goals that they keep switching lanes mid-stream ensuring that they never actually get where their going. Looking forward to more posts like this one Christopher, keep up the great work.

Reply
February 14, 2010

jeffcutler

Good point. I had the discussion today – spurred by your post and by the Book of Questions (or perhaps it was the Book of Stupid Questions… will look in a moment for the link and for the book in my bookcase) in which the author asks, Would you rather be really dumb, but think you're smart? Or be really smart, but think you're dumb?

I used to be the short-cut guy in the car until the umpteenth time I got lost and horribly late while trying to beat the system. But I've found that abandoning a path prematurely isn't in my bailiwick. Witness a marriage that went three years too long, a 21-year journalism career (who knows where traditional reporting is heading…but the writing has been on the digital wall for at least five years), and a slew of other projects. Many which turned out great because of dedication and loyalty.

Finally, I'm pleased to find more regular writing over here. I enjoy your show a lot and am glad to find some more fleshed out thoughts here on the blog. Keep it up.

Best,

Jeff

**Found it. It was in the Book of Stupid Questions by Tom Weller. Warner Books, ISBN 0-446-38972-2 (Yes, I had it in my bookshelf. Google or Amazon should be able to find it for you if it's still in print. This was a 1988 copy.)

Reply
February 15, 2010

jeffcutler

Good point. I had the discussion today – spurred by your post and by the Book of Questions (or perhaps it was the Book of Stupid Questions… will look in a moment for the link and for the book in my bookcase) in which the author asks, Would you rather be really dumb, but think you're smart? Or be really smart, but think you're dumb?

I used to be the short-cut guy in the car until the umpteenth time I got lost and horribly late while trying to beat the system. But I've found that abandoning a path prematurely isn't in my bailiwick. Witness a marriage that went three years too long, a 21-year journalism career (who knows where traditional reporting is heading…but the writing has been on the digital wall for at least five years), and a slew of other projects. Many which turned out great because of dedication and loyalty.

Finally, I'm pleased to find more regular writing over here. I enjoy your show a lot and am glad to find some more fleshed out thoughts here on the blog. Keep it up.

Best,

Jeff

**Found it. It was in the Book of Stupid Questions by Tom Weller. Warner Books, ISBN 0-446-38972-2 (Yes, I had it in my bookshelf. Google or Amazon should be able to find it for you if it's still in print. This was a 1988 copy.)

Reply
February 15, 2010

jeffcutler

Good point. I had the discussion today – spurred by your post and by the Book of Questions (or perhaps it was the Book of Stupid Questions… will look in a moment for the link and for the book in my bookcase) in which the author asks, Would you rather be really dumb, but think you're smart? Or be really smart, but think you're dumb?

I used to be the short-cut guy in the car until the umpteenth time I got lost and horribly late while trying to beat the system. But I've found that abandoning a path prematurely isn't in my bailiwick. Witness a marriage that went three years too long, a 21-year journalism career (who knows where traditional reporting is heading…but the writing has been on the digital wall for at least five years), and a slew of other projects. Many which turned out great because of dedication and loyalty.

Finally, I'm pleased to find more regular writing over here. I enjoy your show a lot and am glad to find some more fleshed out thoughts here on the blog. Keep it up.

Best,

Jeff

**Found it. It was in the Book of Stupid Questions by Tom Weller. Warner Books, ISBN 0-446-38972-2 (Yes, I had it in my bookshelf. Google or Amazon should be able to find it for you if it's still in print. This was a 1988 copy.)

Reply