Staying Focused Is Hard Because Squirrel
I don’t know Hot Dog Man. But I want to know Hot Dog Man.
Hot Dog Man is, apparently, all the rage on Snapchat. He’s an augmented reality character you can insert into your stories.
Again I’ll say: apparently.
Because I don’t know Hot Dog Man. But I want to know Hot Dog Man.
The reason I don’t know Hot Dog Man is, well, I’m trying to stay focused.
In January, I struck out on my own to fulfill my dream of — what do I do again? I dunno. It’s hard to define. It takes extreeeeeme focus. I’m currently making my money as a public speaker, and hosting my narrative-style podcast Unthinkable. But my “dream”? I mean, who has time to define your dream? People who focus, I guess. But staying focused is hard because Hot Dog Man. And songs about Hot Dog Man. And Snapchat. And news about Snapchat. And bakeries. And bakeries next door to my new apartment in New York. And tweets. And Facebook. And Insta. And my dog barking. And my dog chasing pigeons and knocking over garbage and licking strangers’ toes an — SQUIRREL!!!!!!
As someone who “came up tech” (Google, HubSpot, smaller startups, VC), I always rolled my eyes at all the catchphrases we like to throw around at work.
People tell you to do things that don’t scale. They say that if you’re not embarrassed by your product when you launch, you’ve launched too late.
People shout, “Hustle!” like they’re Ryu fighting E. Honda. I keep waiting for someone to thrust his clam-shelled fists towards an open Google Calendar.
People say … a lot. And very few things actually prove to be true.
Or so I thought.
Once you begin to build your own thing, you see those phrases manifest in your own world. Every. Freaking. Day. I’ll admit: I’m trying things that don’t scale. I’m none-too-pleased with the state of my podcast — especially the earliest episodes. And, yes, there have been more than a few occasions when I don my wife’s robe, tie a bandana around my head, crouch into a fighting stance, and think, I’m gonna shoot some kickass fireballs at this entire screen and OWN my day. Ha-DOOOOOO-ken!
But once my laptop stops smoking and my wife demands her robe back, I’m left with one harsh realization: Everything they say is hard IS hard. And absolutely, positively NOTHING is harder than focusing in 2017.
But focus I must, and focus I will.
So dance your dance, Hot Dog Man. I care not. Tweet your tweets, Tweeter-Friends. I shan’t pay you but a glance. Snap your snaps and bake your goods and bark your barks and send me every single distraction the world has to offer. I pay you no mind.
For I am focused. I am Ryu! I. AM. ENTREPRENEUR!
And I … am probably screwed.
Because squirrel.
