Less, but Superior and More Powerful

From time to time, I remember that this is indeed a blog. It’s a space where I can share the valuable lessons I’ve absorbed throughout my career in VR development, entrepreneurship, and blogging. I hope these insights might make a difference for others navigating similar paths. Today feels like one of those days where I could offer a nugget of wisdom—something fresh that I’ve embraced recently.

If we’ve crossed paths before, you know that my heart beats for Virtual Reality—what Meta brands as Mixed Reality. This passion has a funny way of getting me to juggle too many VR projects at once. I attend events, contribute to my blog, take on contract work, and even dabble in creating my own products. Initially, my tendency was to eagerly nod to every opportunity that came my way. While this enthusiasm has led me to accomplish some pretty satisfying results, it’s also been a recipe for stress, often pulling my attention in so many directions that nothing gets the focused effort needed to stand out.

A few months back, with the help of some enlightening reads (one being Antifragile), and after reflecting on my personal experiences, I stumbled upon a new guiding principle for my professional life: it’s more beneficial to focus on fewer impactful endeavors rather than spreading myself thin across numerous less significant ones. Let me explain how this revelation has changed the way I tackle things.

Take social media, for example. I used to flood my Twitter feed with links to XR-focused articles simply because I found them engaging and wanted to share them with the community. My approach was to read an article, hit the share button, toss in some hashtags, and send it off. This routine continued until I noticed these posts netted little to no engagement. While I wasn’t chasing “likes,” their absence made it clear nobody was reading or benefiting from these shares.

Upon examining trends and reading up on Twitter’s evolving algorithm, I learned that these posts were being overlooked because they didn’t provoke engagement or emotional reactions. Plus, including external links was indirectly sending followers away from the platform, which algorithms don’t favor. The harsh truth was, I was dedicating time to content that was scarcely noticed: no informed audience, no gain in followers, and no new networking opportunities. I was simply generating noise.

Forced to reconsider, I stopped mindlessly sharing every interesting article I stumbled upon. Now, I selectively post content that I genuinely find relevant and apply effort to craft engaging, informative posts. While I still occasionally post in the more casual style, I do it far less frequently. I accept the reality of algorithmic games, but I aim to create positive, insightful content that resonates more effectively. This thoughtful approach tends to yield better interaction and sometimes sparks meaningful connections.

This principle extends beyond social media. Previously, I felt an obligation to churn out a new blog post weekly, aside from my typical roundups—even if I didn’t have anything particularly worthwhile to write about. In those instances, I’d rush through a brief update or holiday greeting, offering minimal value to readers. These posts mirrored my old Twitter strategy—lots of effort with little benefit in return (no new followers, no increased credibility, no connections).

Now, if the muse doesn’t strike, I channel my energy elsewhere rather than crafting insubstantial content. When I do write, I ensure it’s informative and justifies both my time and that of my readers. This method occasionally results in significant outcomes, like when my post about Android XR’s new camera access caught the attention of several online publications, boosting both my reputation and SEO. Writing one well-received article trumps ten hollow ones.

The same goes for development work. I used to grab any contract within reach, yet one project worth $100,000 (even shared among a team) is more valuable than ten $10,000 gigs. Larger projects usually come from prestigious clients, building lucrative relationships. They offer the chance to work on exciting projects worthy of social media buzz and portfolio bragging rights. Smaller jobs often don’t bring the same reward. Also, the complexity of larger initiatives professionally strengthens you. For instance, working on the VR platform for concerts, VRROOM, over a year and a half, taught me more about development and people management than years of smaller projects combined.

Every endeavor carries its own costs—especially when it comes to time. Each project, for instance, has a “fixed cost,” like negotiating contracts, holding regular update calls, and dealing with post-delivery concerns. A hundred small tasks have tenfold the overhead of a single larger project. Not to suggest turning away smaller contracts altogether—especially given VR’s current climate—but when possible, aiming for larger, more significant projects can prove advantageous.

This isn’t novel advice: if you’re familiar with Pareto’s Principle, you know that 20% of our efforts typically contribute to 80% of our results. In theory, removing 80% of tasks yields only a 20% reduction in value, highlighting the efficiency of focusing on high-impact activities.

Antifragile highlights how significant events can outweigh the sum of smaller ones—like how a single massive stone impacts more than a thousand pebbles.

Quality over quantity is important, too. Juggling too many tasks often sacrifices workmanship. Cutting down the excess allows for higher quality, boosting satisfaction, delivering tangible value, and enhancing reputation. I’ve always strived for excellence in my developer and entrepreneurial roles and now tie that standard to my public image. People should know I aim to deliver outstanding work—a standard worth a premium after a decade in the field. I may take on fewer projects now, but with greater compensation and higher caliber work, my workload, while substantial, is more manageable.

It’s vital to remember that excellence alone rarely carries success. Unless you’ve crafted something legendary (like the computer shortcut CTRL+ALT+CANC), singular achievements don’t often guarantee fame. Take social media again: I’ve witnessed Tweets with massive likes, but the authors frequently have modest followings. Exceptional messages capture temporary attention but don’t build lasting connections. Successful social media presence requires regular, engaging content, which eventually forms deeper audience bonds.

Networking follows a similar principle. I’ve adopted the “fewer, better” mindset with events, attending significant ones like CES to maximize impact. Pushing myself at such gatherings reaps rewards—building connections, gaining insights, and growing follower bases. But attending sporadic events wouldn’t yield such results.

Years ago, with newbie entrepreneur glasses on, I met Francesco Ronchi, Synesthesia’s CEO, at a Milan event. Amid some quirky chitchat, I sought his networking insights. His advice? To truly connect, you need repeated exposure—once isn’t often enough. True relationships form over multiple shared experiences, much like becoming friends with the people you continuously cross paths with. Quality counts, but so does quantity—a consistent presence and steady output build rapport over time.

Lastly, beyond quantity and quality, consider long-term impact. A viral LinkedIn post might thrill me in the short term, but what about my career’s next decade? How will it truly shape my future?

Hence, alongside my usual work, I’m plotting tasks to steadily propel my career forward—activities that might facilitate a large-scale project, a strategic rise within a major company, or media appearances. Long-term tasks progress slower but furnish direction and meaningful career progression opportunities.

In closing, here’s the crux of my ramblings:

"Do fewer but more impactful things for both now and later, boosting value for yourself and others, all while cultivating satisfaction and reducing stress."

Feel free to note that down, even on your toilet paper—it fits the theme as it represents a few essential moments of your day.

I hope sharing these reflections helps someone out there enhance their professional life. If so, drop a comment or share this post but remember—put some effort into it! 😜