I’m forever seeking a balance between focusing on the things that are working, and diversifying efforts to have a backup plan.

The smart business decision would be to triple-down on bets that are paying off. But the smart personal decision would be to hedge the bets by continuing to make new ones. Life is so uncertain, so looking for dependable stability at any cost seems prudent… but is it a seasonal thing? Is there a time to plant new seeds, and a time to tend to the successful crops? Do smart (digital) “farmers” do both at the same time no matter the season?

Hustle culture disproportionately rewards people for launching new things, but rarely acknowledges boring updates and maintenance for things that are already working. Boring work gets less praise than new releases, but if the bills are being paid, does it really matter?

Maybe the 80 / 20 rule is what’s best: Spending 80% of effort on the main thing that’s working (boring but profitable), and giving 20% to the interesting new bets that fill up the “launch dopamine” tank, and aim to diversify for the future. At the bare minimum, being aware of how energy is being spent on things seems a great place to start.