Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
Ever feel like you’ve taken on so much that you feel overwhelmed and frustrated? Personally, I feel like that all the time. But, I have a touch of “Buckaroo Banzai Syndrome.” This is partly because of how my brain is wired.
There are times when I wish I was able to focus on just one thing and excel. Unfortunately, my mind tends to jump all over the map, which is one of the reasons why I have so many different blogs and YouTube channels.
But, is it really taking on too much when you can’t focus on purely one topic or niche?
What is Buckaroo Banzai Syndrome?
To be honest, this isn’t a real clinical mental thing. I started using the term years ago to describe why I am unable to settle on being an expert at any one thing.
One of my favorite movies growing up was “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.” Looking back, it was a pretty cheesy movie, even for 1984. But, actor, Peter Weller, made it work.
Anyway, the main character of the movie, Buckaroo Banzai, is a brain surgeon, scientist, rock star who winds up battling an alien species.
The plot of the movie isn’t really relevant in this case. It’s the fact that Buckaroo Banzai is a brain surgeon, scientist, and rock star. He excelled at three unique industries to build up his success.
Instead of just focusing on one career path, he led three.
So, Buckaroo Banzai Syndrome is the mindset of not being able to settle on just one career, hobby, or lifestyle. Instead, the person focuses on several at once with a high level of success.
The only part I’m really missing right now is the “success” part. But, I’m working on it.
Do You Need to Be Good at “Everything?”
Many freelance writing professionals and experts say you should focus on one niche. In fact, I tell people often to focus on a niche for their blogs or websites.
That’s because focusing on a single niche, genre, or field can help you build up a high degree of expertise. Not to mention how niche writers and blogs are often more successful.
Unfortunately, I am unable to focus on one specific industry at any given time. Since there are several things that pique my interest equally, I try to incorporate as much as I can into my day-to-day lifestyle.
But unlike Buckaroo Banzai, I have quite a distance to go before I’d call myself an expert in all of them. Sure, I’ve established myself well as a freelance writer. But what about being a published author?
For me, there will always be an extension of every career path. And, I’m not even close to having a high level of expertise in fitness or gaming…my other two blogs.
However, that doesn’t stop me from doing my best to integrate all of these aspects into my life. Which is incredibly stressful most of the time.
It’s a lifestyle I wouldn’t wish on anyone, actually. I often wish I could just be one or the other. But it’s just not how my brain works.
The Value of Focusing on One Thing at a Time
Sticking with a niche gives you the chance to pour all of your efforts into becoming an expert. This can be of great help later on when you’re trying to land jobs, clients, or want to really build an awesome blog.
But when you spread yourself too thin, it takes longer to achieve that same level of success.
Take me, for instance. Currently, my day is split between a blog for writing, gaming, and health and fitness. So, each one of these topics gets one-third of my time…every day.
Instead, I could just focus on one thing. The end result would be far more engaging, informative, and interactive content from both the blog and the YouTube channel.
Can you imagine where WriterSanctuary would be today if I just worked on it alone since 2015? It’s mind boggling, really. In reality, I probably could have several books published by now and making probably five times what I do today.
So even though some people are impressed by how much I do throughout the week, it’s not without its drawbacks. If I could, I would much rather focus on one specific industry and just run with it.
How to Properly Embrace Buckaroo Banzai Syndrome
Throughout my career, there are a lot of things I wish I had done differently, especially given how I jump from topic to topic so quickly. If you’re like me and don’t want to settle on just one niche, here are some things I wish I would have done in the beginning.
Stabilize One Thing Before Moving On
When I say “stabilize,” I mean get to where you’re comfortable with the level of success. If you’re running a blog, hit a specific goal of visitors or income before tackling another.
Make sure the one thing can sustain itself without a lot of work involved.
Personally, I’d aim for 10,000 visitors per month before I let up on the reigns a bit. At that point, the blog should be bringing in enough money to hire writers to create content for you.
Something else you should consider is to schedule an appropriate amount of time to keep your current projects running smoothly. You don’t want to sacrifice things that are working for something that only has “potential.”
Carefully Analyze Available Time
Before making a commitment to add more to your plate, make sure there is room. This includes any and all time constraints you already have for the things you’re currently doing.
If you’re already maxed out, maybe you should think about reducing the payload.
Take a long, hard look at the things you’re doing this week and decide whether you can add another project.
Don’t Be Afraid to Outsource
Sometimes, it’s better to fork over a few extra bucks for someone’s assistance rather than let things sit idle. This is mostly why I pay a writer for the green blog. It’s kind of hard to get a site going if there’s no content.
Unfortunately, this also means being able to afford that assistance. If it doesn’t look like it’s possible, you may need to think about reducing expenses or getting rid of some projects.
The bottom line is that sometimes you can’t handle everything all at once on your own. It may be in your best interest to see if it’s possible to hire additional help.
Be Committed to Past and Current Projects
When picking up something new, you still want to make sure you stay committed to the things you’ve established.
Let’s say you decide to add a new blog to your routine. Make sure enough ample time is spent keeping your first blog running smoothly while working on the new one.
The more established a past project is, the easier it will be to transition from one to another.
At Least Buckaroo Banzai Was Successful
While it might seem impressive to some that you have your fingers in a lot of pies, it really all comes down to whether you’re successful. Because spreading yourself too thin is exceptionally difficult to rise from.
Sure, Buckaroo Banzai was able to do it, but he’s also a movie character. It’s in the script for him to be a genius. Real life doesn’t always work out that way.
Before jumping into anything new, always weigh your options.
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