Want More Success? Shrink Your Focus.

Did you know that until very recently, China could not produce their own ball point pens?

That’s right… the country that makes everything from the phone you take selfies with, to the chair you are probably sitting on… up until a few years ago could not produce the most simple and ubiquitous object in the modern world… the humble ball point pen. 

Here’s the backstory why and the surprising lesson for success and influence you can use today.

For starters, if you’ve ever taken the time to think about it… the ball point pen is a surprisingly sophisticated piece of equipment. First, you need the ink. But not just any ink… this kind of ink has to be stored in such a way that the pen can be buried in the cushions of your sofa and still write (good as new!) when you find it years later.

Then you need a plastic barrel for the pen that is light, easy to grip, and yet durable enough to withstand being in lost in the bottomless pit that is a 7th grader’s backpack from September to June.

And if that isn’t hard enough, you also need a precision piece of steel to be formed into a perfect 1 millimeter ball that can smoothly dispense the ink across the page while also bearing the weight of an anxiety-ridden college sophomore handwriting that political science final that no one ever passes.

In case you are wondering if any of these aforementioned examples of pens are autobiographical in nature, then yes. Yes they are. That poli sci class was the worst…

But its that final piece of engineering… the 1 millimeter ball of precision made tungsten carbide that effortlessly glides across the page… that is the most difficult part to produce.

Though China produces more steel than any other country in the world, historically it was unable to produce high quality steel that would suffice for the pen tip.

And so, that means while they could produce the barrel, the ink, the clickety bit, and even the clip that ensures it stays snugly (and stylishly!) safe in your shirt breast pocket … what China couldn’t produce was the final piece of the puzzle: the tiny ball itself.

That means China had to import millions of precision engineered micro steel balls from countries like Japan, Germany, and the US that COULD produce the level of steel needed for the job. (Can you imagine who counts them all?)

But let’s take the thought one step further. That means there was a company out there that specialized in mass producing these tiny tips to the point that they tipped the market in their favor. That’s right, somebody out there focused their skill to such a level that they became the masters of making something so small… yet in such demand.

They found a niche and mastered it. And in so doing, they created a successful opportunity for themselves.

But what does this have to do with influence and success?

To put it simply, if you were asked “What is the one thing you are best at?”… what would you say?

If you were asked, “What is the one thing you want to be known for?” … what would you say?

So often people avoid leaning into a specialty in their education and professions while at the same time wondering why many opportunities pass them by. 

But could leaning into “your thing” actually be the key to real and sustaining success?

For example, consider my favorite burger place: In-N-Out Burger. As a native Californian I am naturally biased, but a secret to their success most certainly has to do with the fact they chose “their thing” and got great at it. Burgers, fries, drinks. That’s it. Last year they brought in over $2 billion on a radically simple menu.

Or consider the world famous musician, Yo-Yo Ma. He is known for ONE thing, and that’s playing the cello. He isn’t worried about playing violin, flugelhorn, or the kazoo. He is an undisputed master of the cello, and he has found great success and fame owning it.

However, I find that people are afraid of specializing into something for a few reasons.

1. They don’t know what that “one thing” is.
2. They are afraid that committing to a specialty is going to limit their opportunities and make them feel stuck.

To the first group: keep exploring how to serve people and solve meaningful problems in ways that feel natural to you. Your “specialty” will reveal itself in time, and when you find yourself in a state of “flow”? Follow it.

To the second group who prefer to stay generic because they are afraid of missing opportunities, consider this famous quote: “If you commit to nothing, you’ll be distracted by everything.” Far too often I see people stall their progress because they are afraid of taking a decisive step and worried they will get stuck. And so they rarely move forward.

If you aren’t moving because you are afraid of the possibility of not being able to move later… then aren’t you stuck either way?

Remember: Its far easier to change direction than recapture a missed opportunity.

If you really think about it, people will go to great lengths and will pay premium prices for the professional help of someone who is the best at their “one thing”.

• People fly across the world to get help from that one doctor who researches that one illness.
• People drive across town to that one place that makes the best taco.
• People pay premium fees for the consulting expert who can help them overcome that one problem.

And countries pay premium prices to import the one thing they can’t produce themselves… even if its only a 1 millimeter steel ball.

Take the step. Find your niche. Own the problem you love solving and doggedly become the best at it.

And maybe one day people will also travel great distances to marvel at your abilities.

Because making the world a better place through your unique gifts… isn’t that the point?

Christian

CHRISTIAN HANSEN has gone behind the scenes in some of the biggest organizations in the world to find out the reasons why some people get chosen and why others don’t. As the #1 bestselling and LinkedIn Top Ten ranked author of “The Influence Mindset: The Art & Science of Getting People to Choose You” Christian helps teams and organizations who want to stand out and be the obvious choice. With degrees from Brigham Young University and The London School of Economics, he’s helped thousands of individuals position and sell themselves. A fan of international communication, history, and choral music, he currently lives in Utah with his wife. Reach him at: TheChristianHansen.com