Fly on the E-Commerce Cyberwall

Focusing
I got another milestone done on my billable work today, adding the testimonials we had collected to one site. Tomorrow I need to get testimonials up on the other.

It's interesting how many milestones I've passed ever since my client and I scaled things back. One after another that had sat, untouched, on my wish list are getting done. Getting out from under the routine work has helped. And not having new project ideas pushed ahead of ongoing work means I actually get to complete projects. What a novel thought!

Yes, there's no substitute for focus when it comes to getting things done.

Now I just have to apply that to my own site as well. I weeded down my to-do list a bit today, but still kept on it nine products that I'd like to test and review. Well, they're going to have to go onto my long term list (namely, the list where I put things that I simply don't have any hope of ever finding time to do them, but can't bring myself to axe them permanently).

Learning new things is important, but it can sure get in the way of progress. And what good is it to gather all kinds of knowledge if you just store it away in your head and never put it to use for others' good?

Does the world benefit from me learning more, or putting what I already know into helping others grow? Yet the draw is so powerful toward those things that isolate us instead of making us productive.

I'm reminded of the old Simon and Garfunkel song, "I am a Rock," where they sang,
"I have my books and my poetry to protect me.
I am shielded in my armor.
Hiding in my room, safe within my womb,
I touch no one and no one touches me.
I am a rock. I am an island."

Simply learning only isolates us. Putting ourselves out there, taking risks, serving needs, is what gives us a life worth living.
Jeff