10 Things I Learned From a Decade of Doing 1 Thing

On July 7, 2015, I hit “publish” on a simple and short post about the power of saying no.

I had just quit my corporate job, owned nothing but a laptop, and figured I had exactly zero reputation to lose by thinking out loud on the internet.

Ten years, hundreds of articles, ten books, and millions of readers later, that single decision has paid the kind of compound interest no spreadsheet can capture. It taught me that mastery is less about talent and more about what you choose to do repeatedly.

A decade of doing one thing has burned certain truths into my muscle memory. Truths that matter whether you’re coding apps, raising kids, or trying to keep a side hustle alive after your 9–5.

What follows are the ten lessons that actually moved the needle for me. They’re simple enough to remember on your own journey. I hope this is helpful.

1. Pick a Career, Not a Job

This was advice that I read about for the first time ten years ago. And I decided to take it to heart.

The thing about a job is that you only have it to pay the bills. No matter how much you slice it and dice it, that’s what it comes down to. Sure, you might like your co-workers and being part of a group, but would you be there if you…