Source Flickr/ From prairie m

Source Popular Science

This is the story of why focus is important (in my personal context) and how I have formally changed my approach to mentoring.

I have always been a big fan of Mick Liubinskas and his ‘Mr Focus’ persona he takes on stage when encouraging tech startup entrepreneurs to pick something to focus on, pick one differentiated thing, not ten things to build your business around. I have a great photo of one of the first times he ever gave that presentation back in 2009 or 2010 at an early SydStart and it still makes me smile.

Most people who know me well will know how productive I am, it really do punch through a lot of stuff with a system of people and processes around me and the initiatives I care about. It feels weird to talk like this and in some cultures this will sound big headed but it is simply to give a little context to what follows.

So What Has Worked Well?

Lately it has been obvious that the few things I focus on have gone well in fact after nearly 25 years of cool stuff in financial technology and more recently helping build the Sydney Startup Ecosystem it is obvious focus pays off big time. Well, in a work context that is, most of the time it does, lets put personal relationships aside for one moment.

For example -

• SydStart recently ran for the fourth time (third if you don’t count the mini one). SydStart is a (normally) annual event has now become the leading professional tech startup event in Australia, I founded it a few years ago and it keeps pretty much doubling every time we run it. This time we had nearly a thousand people and probably more importantly the quality of the speakers, attendees and exhibitors keeps going up too. So that particular focused effort has paid off.
• Family has been another focus area and I am super proud of how my daughter and son are growing up and have been able to see bits of the world first hand yet still know their family here in Australia especially grand parents and extended cousins. It is wonderful to see such bright, energetic, positive people slowly find their place in the world and learn just how much they can contribute.
• Fishburners is really coming along nicely too. Those of you whom know me will see a recurring theme where I don’t step up to lead if others are already doing stuff. But I will be there quietly supporting and actively shaping. This is one of those projects and it is nice to see over a thousand people a week through the doors now, around 200 members and we have expanded to take over the whole building @608harris.
• Cooper & Co is also coming along – by leveraging all those past glories (see Linkedin ‘cool stuff’ link above) and new technologies it complements the major consulting groups well by providing the business technology management (strategy to execution) component which the premium providers like McKinsey and Booz often tend to leave off and it is precisely where we pick up and really excel.  We are trying to focus on industries more aligned with our personal values, this might take a while given our focus has been in finance related tools, mergers and acquisitions and real-time (often trading) technologies.
• Coinr is the main platform I want to focus on (read the Coinr Blog for the evolving details) but unfortunately I have some other distractions (good ones but still distractions) that need to be substantially reduced. The ideas I have in my mind for coinr need to get out into the real world, the benefits could be remarkable for a heap of people if we can execute well enough.
• All my mentoring and growing the Sydney Startup Ecosystem is simply taking up a lot of time. On a typical week I will do 5-10 meetings directly related to the Sydney Startup Ecosystem plus a further 5-10 requests for mentoring by Startups. This might be about Silicon St or the NSW Govt Industry Action Plan or lobbying to Drop Paperwork for Australian Tech Startups(DPATS) or engaging local city of sydney people or engaging global thought leaders to visit, share with or set up branches in Sydney.

So What Does This Mean?

It is all fun and good for Sydney and the country but I can’t keep putting so much time it that stuff. Especially philanthropy and mentoring. I am also going to dial down the community time component.

Usually all this is pro-bono, ie free, zero pay, no income, no financial gain arrrggghhh. The money doesn’t worry me particularly but it does impact my other initiatives because there is a real quantifiable opportunity cost. Obviously I am adding value because people keep coming back and referring more people but frankly it is becoming unsustainable. I could charge for mentoring but really don’t want to do that.

It is not like I am starving, my financial technology work over the years has paid well and I do have acorns stashed away (mainly illiquid investments).

But the real issue is not money. I’d be equal happy with just instant noodles and good internet. The reason I remain excited about the startup scene here is simply I want my kids to grow up in a great environment where their chances of running randomly into great opportunities (i.e. great people doing great stuff) is as great or greater than in San Francisco or whatever the next hot tech startup entrepreneurial scene is going to be. In fact my bigger vision is for that wish to be shared with and realised by every Australian and for us to lead in greater Asia. I’ll write a detailed post (or book) on that eventually some time, it will probably be called Riding On The Geek’s Back.

I’d also like to lead the way by being a successful example. Many people would say I already have been ridiculously successful, having made some huge impact on the world in a few industries in a few countries and made serious money for a lot of stakeholders in various ventures. I think the point is that I’d like to do one that is all mine. End to end. Not all mine in the sense of not sharing the journey with stakeholders (e.g. co-founders) but one on the sense that I can say I/we did it from scratch to global success including all the potholes and mistakes along the way.

To put a ding in the world (thanks Steve). To make a difference. To have an impact. etc…

It all sounds like a cliche but it really isn’t. Especially if it can create sustainable rewards like financial onces I can reinvest, or like case study learnings or inspiration for others.

To do this I need to focus. A lot more.

So from today I am resolving to reduce the variables.

So What Is Going To Get Trimmed Back? Something Has To Give Right?

Philanthropy will be slashed. I’ll still donate money but not so much and certainly not donate time so much. I am also going to cut back on time at community related events. There are a lot (Sydney Angels, Push Start, Founders Institute, University judging/speaking for USYD + UNSW + UTS +  UWS, TiE, Silicon Beach, Fishburners, various schools + charities + sports + social clubs and other groups).

Mentoring will be also slashed. The quality and care factor will remain but the time commitment has to be trimmed. It is time that is not ‘leveraged’ enough and it is increasingly not unique (others can do a good job too, not just me – a good result of the Sydney Startup Ecosystem growing so fast). I will only provide two slots a week of LESS THAN 30 MINUTES on Friday at 10:30 and 11. If you want a slot get add this iCal format calendar if you can’t work out how to do it, then learn, don’t contact me, work it out yourself dude.

My time on so called ‘advisory boards’ will also be slashed. There are around 40 companies that regularly call on me for opinions on stuff. That is going to stop unless we broker agreements for equity or cash that allows me to reduce consulting time. I still need to pay the bills and bootstrap my own startup so this works well and since it is contributing to both the personal and ecosystem end goals it is one of the better distractions.

A GateKeeper. A Hurdle. A Barrier To Free Stuff.

Also, before we can meet you need to know what Silicon Beach Forums are. You need to know what Fishburners is. You need to have read the ReWork book. You need to know the principles of Lean Startup. It will also help if you know what SydStart is and if you have read a few of the more popular/recent articles on my AnyDex blog and the blogs of Steve Blank and other though leaders like him. Maybe also stuff like in The Plex and The Intelligent Entrepreneur. It will show me that you are serious and it will save us all time.

None of the above are linked because you need to learn how to cut and paste and google it dude. This is the real world.

The above reading list is a set of serious recommendations made with the very best of intentions because it will benefit most businesses especially tech startups. Feel free to ignore it but don’t bother making an appointment if you are not across them.

Why Go On About It So Much?

This blog post is deliberately a bit long. It is intended to sort out the serious people from the wanna-be people. I have made a huge impact in some the lives of some entrepreneurs in recent years. I take that responsibility very seriously indeed. So I’ll try to keep the core value proposition I have always done.

Appointments are free. No advice is provided, just opinions. You should not consider it advice in any legal sense. If I like you and  your team and your idea I will do my best to help. If I don’t well bad luck. All conversations are confidential. Don’t try to connect with me on social media unless we have actually met and shared some positive common ground.

This all sounds a bit too serious perhaps but when your backlog in Linkedin is in the many hundreds and your agile backlog of use cases to be implemented is also in the hundreds – it really is time to focus.

Ciao.

@pc0

However, if maintenance of order becomes to that of which is an expression of individual freedom then could there be an actual need for jurisprudence?

Within the United States of America system of justice it may be hindsight to allow an oversight in either direction or middle of the way were to be if another person’s freedom was encroached by another individual then perhaps it could not be questionable as a matter of de facto as anything less would be a total disregard of both freedom, as well as any system of justice as it then becomes an art of compromise better left to those within the realm of political science.

If the sole purpose of politics only widens by two units of marginal error being that of freedom and that of a view of enforced justice then how could there be a future in the political arena to decide upon the most feasible method in order to provide a proper remedy to any given dispute less it is presented for each opposing party to disclaim the age old process of mudslinging the other candidate or that of party compromise jointly working together for common goals.

Recently I turned 30 and that is somehow really strange. Until here I haven’t paid attention to my age but this number struck me a little as it signifies already that quite a big chunk of the given time here on earth has passed.

It is a bit of a wake up call for me where now I became aware that some points that I have been postponing in my life within the believe that someday I will do it, just don’t come – and here I am faced with myself and the realization that unless I direct myself nothing is going to happen. Surely I haven’t fully grasped yet the concept of the new way of living where we have to walk and script our own lives where there’s no more preprogramming that kicks in and makes everything for you.

That’s how I lived my life mostly –things would just happen to me – like when I finished middle school I have never made plans about my further studies yet in front of my windows where I lived they were building a university where I just dropped in and graduated, without any self-direction but simply being in the flow and trusting that I will get by somehow. So all in all it was an easy ride for me.

It’s not like that anymore, the easy life is over. It’s just too obvious that if there is no self-direction within my live everything will just remain as it is where another 10 or more years will pass within hope that things will happen magically and where eventually regret will kick in, which as been said comes when its already too late. I am not sure about that and surely I don’t want to find that out myself.

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to wait for myself

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to exist in hope

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to believe I will grow and expand without self-directive action to do so

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to put all trust on some invisible force that apparently will take me by the hand and lead towards change while I sit and do nothing

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not take seriously the stories of old people where they explained how much regret they experienced at the end of their time for not really living their lives  but always existing in hope that someday they will

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to believe that I am different and that change will visit me sometime soon where I have been waiting for years already and proved to myself that unless I direct myself no real change ever happens

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to hold on somewhere within my mind to the idea that one day I will be rich and powerful as it was prophesized by a psychic that I once visited

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to wait in hope for the fulfillment of prophesy not realizing the bullshit of it all where I can see clearly myself the extent of actions that has to be taken in  this world to achieve something

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to exist in my dream world instead of using my common sense and walking a real life

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to arm myself with number of justification for not having to take self-directive action to grow and expand myself within my skills and my abilities so thus to enable myself become more equipped in having an impact on this world by bringing a new system of equality

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to place all the responsibility on others for making a change in this world while I wait for myself to come around and join someday in someway

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to exist within future projection of myself holding the idea of who I want to be while time goes by and I remain exactly where I was without moving a bit and still hoping that somehow I will change

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to place trust on the invisible force because there were instances in the past where everything worked out ok without me doing anything

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to not realize that we are walking a different process now where the pathway before us is not preprogrammed but is being shaped by each one through participation in each moment of breath and thus within that -

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to waste many breaths which I could have used for self-growth and self-expansion

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to experience fear and doubt when now being faced with self-responsibility for how my life turns out also within realization that each of our life also determines/influences the lives of others and so

I forgive myself that I have accepted and allowed myself to pressurize myself with this realization not realizing that this pressure makes it harder for me to break away from self-imposed limitation thus I remove all pressure and all thoughts and simply concentrate on myself and finding ways how can I effectively correct that which I have allowed within myself

I commit myself stand up within myself and no longer allow postponement to direct my ability to direct myself

I commit myself to utilize all opportunities for self-growth and expansion

I commit myself to reveal and expose the illusion of existing in hope so that those who are about to fall into hope’s trap would see and learn from my mistakes

I commit myself to become the director of my life where I stand tall and never give up when challenges hit my ground

I commit myself to walk through my fears by writing them out, forgiving them and thus giving myself the opportunity to walk the path of life

I commit myself to share myself with my brothers and sisters the process of walking the path out of hope into the path of unconditional self-expression where life is freed from the clutched of illusionary self-imposed limitations such as fears/doubts/ideas/believes/perceptions

William Thomas Sadler

Luther Sloan From Section 31

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/William_Sadler

William Thomas Sadler (born 13 April 1950; age 61) is the acclaimed actor from Buffalo, New York, who appeared as Luther Sloan in three episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

PLAYED BY: William Sadler
FULL NAME: Luther Sloan
SPECIES: Human
POSITION: Deputy Director, Section 31
BIRTHPLACE: Earth (presumed)
SPOUSE: Jessica
CHILDREN: (Un-named)
PARENTS: (Un-named)

Before the Dominion War, Captain Benjamin Sisko & Chief of Security Odo were called to Earth by Admiral Layton. For a short time, Sisko was responsible for Earth’s security. While on Earth, Section 31 knowingly infected Odo with a disease that would infect the other Founders. When the Founders forced Odo to return to the Great Link in the Gamma Quadrant to be judged for killing another Founder, they too were infected by the disease engineered by Section 31. (Discovered in “Extreme Measures“)

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Luther_Sloan

“We deal with threats to the Federation that jeopardize its very survival. If you knew how many lives we’ve saved, I think you’d agree that the ends do justify the means.”

- Luther Sloan to Julian Bashir

Luther Sloan kidnapped Doctor Bashir in an attempt to convince him he was a spy for the Dominion. Using age-old techniques of subtle manipulation, lack of food & sleep, and modern holo-technology, Sloan played out an elaborate scenario in which Bashir was accused of being a traitor, and then rescued by Weyoun, who was then attacked by the Defiant. When Bashir realized the deception, Sloan ended the simulation, and asked Bashir to join Section 31. But, Bashir refused. (“Inquisition“)

At a conference being held on Romulus, Sloan used Bashir to frame Senator Cretek for spying for the Federation, because she was a patriot to the Romulan Empire. Tal Shiar Chairman Koval was Cretak’s replacement, and a mole for the Federation. Sloan faked his own death, and escaped Romulus. Bashir learned about Koval’s status from Admiral William Ross, who was assisting Sloan during the conference. (“Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges“)

On Stardate 52645.7, Doctor Bashir & Chief Miles O’Brien sent a false message to Starfleet Medical saying that they had discovered a cure for Odo’s disease. This was an attempt to lure Sloan, or another member of Section 31, to the station, and get the real cure from them. Their bluff was successful and Sloan arrived on Deep Space Nine. When he learned of Bashir’s deception, Sloan attempted suicide, but Bashir used a Romulan mind probe on him. Bashir & O’Brien entered Sloan’s mind, which looked a lot like Deep Space Nine & the Defiant. There, they found Sloan in a cluttered office, and the cure for Odo’s disease. (“Extreme Measures“)

Sloan and Section 31 epitomize Deep Space 9′s vision of a more realistic universe in which “paradise” has started to crumble and where the Federation struggles to maintain its high ideals amid difficult situations. Section 31, along with its morally questionable actions, is one of the elements that have made DS9 highly controversial among Star Trek fans; the other being the introduction of the Maquis and Sisko’s infamous speech to major Kira about how easy it is to be “a saint in paradise”. (DS9: “The Maquis, Part II“) As Ira Steven Behr said: “We need to dig deeper and find out what, indeed, life is like in the twenty-fourth century. Is it this paradise, or are there, as Harold Pinter said, “Weasels under the coffee table.” Sisko’s speech in this episode – (“The Maquis, Part II“) – was the beginning of our really starting to question some of the basic tenets of Star Trek philosophy.” (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion). The introduction of a somewhat darker and less optimistic side to the Trek universe culminated in the creation of Section 31.

The day starts with this sense of exhaustion and you know it is not going to be a quick end to the day and leading up to Easter the roads are getting busier earlier and people appear to be more impatient to get where they want to go. On my way in this morning at 0730am I had to dodge 2 kangaroos, they were happily hopping along the roadside, it was foggy and I slowed so that they didn’t jump in front of the car. I have been stuck between Cowell & Whyalla many years ago 1 week after getting a new car when a roo jumped dead centre in the bonnet, it killed the roo and my car. I had to wait for a kind truckie to pick me up as I had no phone service or uhf radio and it was dark, my lights didn’t work so I had to flag someone down. Accepting a ride from a stranger was more terrifying than hitting the roo but I was driven into Whyalla, dropped at a hotel, the police came to me and then I was able to phone home. I have never seen a big red roo like that in the Upper South East, they are small grey ones but do damage all the same.

Please travel safely this Easter statistically it is one of the worst for crashes and deaths on the roads. It keeps our over worked nurses and Doctors walking more KM’s than they normally would.It makes me appreciate the hard work all shift work, emergency service people, police, ambo’s, ancillary staff that clean & feed people do, to keep those in hospitals and in crisis situations manage and cope better. Do not meet them by accident for you will not remember the great work they do and the efforts they go to to assist you and your families in times of need. It’s Tuesday and another great day to be alive, “don’t be dead for qiuds”.

Artist: Random Factor & Gareth Whitehead
Title: The Wons Around EP
Label: Lost My Dog (UK)
Cat No: LMD049
Style: Deep House/Tech House
Release Date: 19th September 2011

Random Factor & Gareth Whitehead – The Wons Around EP (LMD049) by Lost My Dog

New house music from Random Factor and Gareth Whitehead on the Lost My Dog label. The ‘Wons Around EP’ has been hailed as “a melting pot of underground house sounds — deep, techy, acidic, trippy and soulful”, so there’s something here no matter which direction you’re taking your set.

Up first is ‘Age Old’, a driving tech-house track. The vocal sample is a bit overdone, but as far as keeping the energy level on the dancefloor this will works. The breakdown is great, but other than that, some percussive changeups and a few quirky layers are what make this one worth playing.

The Jacked Out Mix offers a different vibe for ‘Age Old’, but those damn repetitive vocals are back. This time however, they’re run thru a variety of different effects, giving this one a bit more character than the Original.

On the flipside is ‘No Matter How Far’, a bit of a deeper tech track. Really love the groove this one brings to the mix, and the slow build and progression give it a distinct vibe. The melodic layers and stuttered female vocals add some sexy flavor. The song nearly hits the 10 minute mark, and while the basic idea doesn’t change much, the flow, filters, and subtle changes keep it relatively fresh, but…

The Jacked Out Mix takes ‘How Far’ and gives it enough energy to keep my attention the entire time (nearly 9 minutes!). Like the Original, the subtle changeups, filters, and melodic grooves give the track its personality, but it’s the jackin’ flavor that compliments the bones and makes this my pick of the release.

Rounding out the EP is ‘Face It’, a techy cut that takes two minutes to finally get started. And then? Not much. Another minute of the same… But the song does have a great twist and does manage to carry itself through the breakdown and beyond. It’s repetitive, but sometimes a hypnotic beat is something you can build a set around.

lostmydog.net

facebook.com/lostmydog

*quote from kashu_parit’s tweet.

It’s not an age-old mistake, but it’s one the writer on Yahoo! Shine makes in the same blog post:

Confused? You will be after reading this mess:

Finally, we come to the typos resulting in the misspelled subconsciously and the wrong word: