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Jack of all trades master of none...


image from Matthew Stumpy @gurustump.com

There's a slight obsession with being "busy" and occupied these days, the idea of being up to something even when it is nothing at all makes one feel significant as though they are contributing to green peace or a worthy cause. Okay, maybe not that, but still, everyone is a hustler or a diva, dabbling in this and that all fingers and toes dipped in different pots.

Social networks bios are testament to this, they read like entries into a contest which aims to crown someone with the most interesting titles and, and, and. It reminds me of primary school where our oral exams were about how our holidays went and boasting to each other of who had more fun and experienced the coolest activities, only this time it is grown folk going on about which pie/s their fingers have been in, some true and some pure fabrications.

According to www.thefreedictionary.com "busy" means 1. Engaged in activity, 2. Sustaining much activity. The latter is what I'm referring to. The need to sustain much activity so much that at times all one is doing, 'is sustaining activity' that yields no real benefit for anyone involved. Either because the 'busy body's' fingers are all over the place that no one thing is under perfect grip and all things just slide off the fingertips. Leading to the 'Jack of all trades and master of none syndrome' which can be detrimental to one's reputation. I read once that "You build a reputation by silently doing, proving and acting on everything you said you were going to do while building your brand. If your brand is the theory that you know what the hell you’re talking about, your reputation is the proof that you do." 

There is a special breed of individuals that can do this whole dabbling in this and that successfully, without coming across as clueless chancer's who follow wherever the wind may blow. These people deliver the goods, they bring it every time they have to perform and they put in all their efforts to achieve what they must and live up to their reputations on/offline. 

Do not misunderstand me, ambition is a great thing, we should all be ambitious about something/s and pursue all our ambitions with intent and character should be our anchor. Because "A reputation once broken may possibly be repaired, but the world will always keep their eyes on the spot where the crack was." also "Many a man's reputation would not know his character if they met on the street."

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