Previously I talked about the various mini or in this case "Micro" focuses, and how they relate to either your Macro-Focus or orbit around it.
Those interests or tasks being more temporary or experimental, whereas the Macro is that of your main focus in life. Oftentimes it is our jobs, career in general, or schooling that takes up that focus. It does get kinda funky when people start businesses or side hustles while in school or a full time job. As the Macro focus shifts from the job/school to the new thing.
Being able to mentally and systematically adapt is something I hope you could understand more from this post.
A continuation of the series:
Thinking of the Big Picture
Get your head in the clouds, and think about everything about this newfound focus. It could be where the career will take you, how your courses are going to change you, or perhaps you chose something like me that you have to build yourself. One could say the latter is more exciting, but seriously far scarier since it is all on you.
As you reach towards that Macro-Focus there will be obstacles on your path, and you'll have to change your micro-focuses (daily/weekly/ even monthly) in order to surpass them.
The clouds rain down to the dirt, and the terrain of the ground changes the composition of the weather. If we were to use the Clouds and Dirt analogy fro Macro and Micro respectively. They impact each other in many more ways we may not initially realize.
What is a Macro-Focus?
I'm torn between saying it is the 1 year goal, versus the decade long ten year career. As much as your parents/grandparents may want you to believe; Most people don't stay with a company for multiple decades. Not only was that a glorified oversimplification in previous generations part, it wasn't even fully true. People got fired, hired by other companies, and most of all changed roles within the company itself. Both laterally and vertically in the company.
Meaning your Macro-Focus changed on multiple occasions over the course of your life. It is weird writing this out as if it happened to me, despite myself being young, but I've looked back onto the past. Interviewed multidisciplinary people, and that pattern is clearly shown.
Your Macro-Focus is often not full of detail for the most part, and that is okay. You just need to have that north star to tell you where you are going. For me it is building out PolyInnovator, so that I can build the United Living Construct. Something I've known for most of my life.
However over the past decade, let alone five years in particular since PolyInnovator initiated, there have been several changes. While my main Macro-Focus stayed the same, the Macro-Goals along the way have changed each year.
MACRO - Juggling Vs Serialized
Some people hold multiple careers at once, and others focus on just one. You might think from this series that the Micro is the many, and the Macro is just one. However I don't see that as the case!
Micro for sure is going to have many, but sometimes people only have one micro goal alongside their macro endeavor. Not common however it is possible. Conversely, some people have 2-3 Macro-Focuses at once. Take for example myself a few years ago. I was teaching fitness (still growing in the field and learning), I was working on the planting of the seed that was PolyInnovator, and I had 1-2 other jobs that I did for income (a combined focus).
As much as I would have liked to say that PolyInnovator was my Macro-Focus, in reality they all three were. Teaching for fulfillment, PolyInnovator for career and Ikigai, and the other jobs for financial stability.
I was juggling my Macro-Focuses in one time period.
Related Post:
Thinking in Phases
One way I like to break up my Macro-Focus is into phases, such as the phases of PolyInnovator. That way I have a means to chop up my endeavors to get the big goals completed.
Those phases then turn into goals, tasks, and projects that I can do in the micro.
I'll be talking more about that in the future with the release of my PolyInnovation Operating System for multidisciplinary people.
It is okay to change your mind!
Sure the sunk cost is far greater after decades or thousands of hours of practice/learning. There is something you are giving up there, but your time is far more valuable. You spent it on something you thought was important, and it probably was over the last bit of your life. Your next chapter however can change on a dime, for you could do a complete 180 and be far happier.
Sometimes you get built up frustration from your previous endeavor, that it makes it clear in your life that it is time to change. Perhaps too in the case with my Aquatic Classes I taught, there was just this feeling that I am done for now. I left on great terms, and said my goodbyes. I felt a lot better too knowing that I was there for them when they needed me.
It doesn't have to be something negative to make a change, but over the course of your life you are going to have many of these BIG changes.
Side note:
Sometimes we find our Ikigai by trying many different things. Without the courage to stop your previous endeavor, and try something new; Then you won't ever be able to try enough things to find what that ultimate passion truly is!