Less, but Superior and More Robust

Once in a while, I remind myself that this is a blog, and I find it’s a good opportunity to share some insights I’ve gleaned from my career as a VR developer, entrepreneur, and blogger. Maybe these lessons will resonate with others who face similar hurdles. Today is one of those days, and I’d like to introduce you to a fresh perspective I’ve been adopting over the past few weeks.

If you’re familiar with my work, you’ll know that my passion for Virtual Reality—what Meta now refers to as Mixed Reality—often leads me to stretch myself across multiple ventures in the field. I juggle blogging, attending industry events, contract work, and now and then, I dabble in creating my own products. Early on, I had a habit of saying "yes" to nearly every opportunity. On the upside, this approach has allowed me to achieve great results across various areas. However, on the downside, the stress of juggling numerous projects often meant sacrificing the focus necessary to make a significant impact.

A few months ago, prodded by some thought-provoking books (Antifragile, for example) and my own personal experiences, I began to reconsider my approach. I’ve now embraced a new guiding principle in my work life: it’s more beneficial to focus on completing a few impactful endeavors rather than scattering efforts over many less critical ones. Allow me to elaborate.

Social media was one arena where this realization hit home. I used to share numerous XR-related articles on Twitter/X, assuming if I found something intriguing, it was worth spreading the word to the community. I’d share a post with a couple of hashtags after giving it a quick read. Over time, it became clear that few people were engaging with these posts. I don’t chase likes for vanity, but low engagement suggested nobody was reading, rendering my efforts pointless. After observing others and reading about X’s latest algorithm tweaks, I learned that my posts lacked the emotional pull or debate-sparking content the algorithm favored. Additionally, posts with external links were likely buried since they directed users away from the platform. While social media algorithms aren’t the focus here, the takeaway was clear: I was investing time sharing content with little to no payoff—no informed audience, no new followers, no meaningful connections. My efforts amounted to churning out largely irrelevant content.

Recognizing this, I decided to change tack. Instead of sharing everything I found interesting, I began focusing on only the most relevant pieces. I also put effort into crafting these posts to be more compelling, rather than lazily posting titles and links (not that I don’t still do that sometimes, just less frequently). I don’t aim to incite heated political debates for mere algorithmic favor, but I understand the need to play the game. By making my posts more informative and engaging, I’ve noticed greater interaction and, in turn, gained more connections.

I apply this mindset to everything I do. Previously, I felt obligated to churn out at least one article per week alongside my regular round-ups. Lacking substantial content, I’d hastily write short pieces announcing upcoming holidays, events, or minor XR software tricks. But, mirroring my experience with X posts, these articles often yielded little community engagement, without enhancing my follower count, reputation, or professional networks. Now, instead of forcing a subpar article, I’d rather pass on writing and use that time for something more meaningful. Today, whenever I do write, I ensure the content is informative and deserving of my—and my readers’—time. When I adopted this approach, the impact was noticeable: my article about Android XR’s camera access caught the attention of online magazines, boosting my blog’s reputation and SEO. Writing ten posts merely to express my love for the VR community (which is genuine, by the way) wouldn’t have had the same effect.

As a developer, I used to grab every contract that came my way, but I’ve realized that a single $100,000 project has far more benefits than ten $10,000 projects. Larger projects often allow me to form stronger customer connections, offer an impressive portfolio addition, and generally involve more learning and growth. My most educational project was VRROOM, a VR platform for concerts. Spanning 18 months, it taught me more about development and management than the previous three to four years combined. That speaks volumes.

Every task involves costs, especially time. More significantly, tasks often carry fixed costs. In the project examples earlier, managing ten small projects involves ten contract negotiations, weekly calls, and post-delivery issue management, whereas one large project consolidates these efforts. Naturally, securing big projects can be tougher than smaller ones, so I’m not suggesting you shun smaller gigs entirely—VR’s current state alone makes that risky. Instead, aim for larger, more impactful projects when possible.

While there’s nothing particularly groundbreaking here, if you believe in Pareto’s principle like I do, then you know that 20% of your efforts typically yield 80% of your results. Theoretically, this suggests you could forego 80% of your tasks and retain 80% of the value. Though it’s just a theory, it emphasizes the importance of concentrating on what truly matters.

Antifragile comes to mind again, as it brilliantly discusses life’s "non-linearities." Big achievements often outweigh the sum of smaller ones. Imagine the difference between dropping one large stone on someone versus a thousand pebbles—the impact isn’t just additive; it’s significantly more profound.

Quality matters greatly too: when swamped, the time to create quality work dwindles. By doing less, you can focus on excellence. High-quality work not only brings personal satisfaction and value to others but also boosts your reputation. For years, I’ve prioritized quality and now associate it with reputation. I want people to know that when they hire me, I’ll strive to deliver top-notch results. High-quality work comes with a price, and while I used to feel hesitant about charging more, ten years in this industry have taught me that quality justifies the cost. I now work fewer projects, charge more, and deliver better outcomes—still a hefty workload, but healthier than before.

It’s crucial, however, not to rely solely on quality. Unless you create something legendary (like the oft-used CTRL+ALT+DEL), a single great effort rarely propels you to success. Back to my social media example: occasionally, someone on Twitter gains massive likes on a single tweet, yet their follower count remains modest. It indicates that a viral post isn’t enough to foster lasting connections; it takes consistent, quality contributions to garner a loyal following.

This principle also applies to networking and events. I’ve embraced "fewer but better" here too. For instance, this year, I attended CES, a major technology event, and strived to make it as impactful as possible. While it left me physically drained, the event yielded significant new connections, insights into the XR ecosystem, and fresh YouTube followers. But attending an isolated event every couple of years would yield minimal results.

Years ago, with less entrepreneurial experience, I attended an event in Milan where I met Francesco Ronchi, CEO of Synesthesia, an influential IT firm organizing notable events like Droidcon. Amid trying to coax him into sampling chocolate-covered insects (a story for another day), I sought his networking advice. His wisdom? Make yourself a regular presence. Meaningful connections form over repeated encounters, deepening over time and leading to friendships or collaborations. In my experience, this rings true; some connections click instantly, while others grow gradually. Hence, quality alone isn’t enough without regularity. You must consistently deliver quality work.

My final tip: beyond quality and consistency, consider long-term impact. I’d be thrilled if a LinkedIn post garnered a million views today with numerous comments and connections. But what lasting benefit would that provide? How would it influence my career in five to ten years?

This is why, in addition to my regular (and fairly "unusual") work, I focus on tasks with long-term career implications. Whether building a major project, advancing into management, seeking media exposure, or any other career milestone, these are worth pursuing for their potentially significant impact.

These future-oriented tasks may take time and patience, but they provide direction, helping strategically advance my career. Of course, you need a clear vision of your future ambitions to identify these critical tasks.

So, here concludes my lengthy spiel. To encapsulate this article:

Focus on fewer, more impactful endeavors for both present and future benefits. You’ll deliver more value, receive more in return, and find greater satisfaction with less stress.

Feel free to jot that down on your bathroom mirror as a daily reminder—it ties nicely into our discussion, given it reflects the importance of focusing on key moments in your day.

Whether this resonates with anyone else or not, I hope sharing these thoughts has been helpful. If they’ve sparked inspiration or improvement in your work life, let me know in the comments—or share this post on social media, but remember to do so thoughtfully! 😄