Hey folks,

Welcome to 2011 – booya!

While I don’t necessarily believe in making new year resolutions (I am more of a believer of resolving to become better every day, why wait for the turn of a year to resolve to be better?), coming into 2011 I did make a “resolution” of sort if you will. But it had nothing really to do with the new year, it was a build up of events that’s happened the past couple of years and it’s just coincidence that well… it’s also the turn of a new year

So here it is: let me decree that 2011 shall be a year that I stop getting distracted by “cool and potentially highly profitable” projects that come at me from each and every angle.

The past few years, and especially the last year, I’ve heard a lot of:

“Hey Ray, let’s partner up and work on this venture, it’s going to sick!“

“Yo Ray, we need a SEO guy to pull this off, why don’t you and Fernando join us on this project and we do 50/50?“

“I like you Ray. Let’s work together.“

I remember a couple of years ago while talking to one of our favorite mentors, Mike Dillard, he advised me that as our business grows, as we gain more and more traction and exposure, many potential opportunities and partnership will pop up. The challenging part becomes learning to turn them down, no matter how tempting they might be and how “promising” they might appear. Why? Because if you take up every single opportunity that comes your way, you’ll never be able to focus on any of them and bring them to fruition.

Wise words Mike.

I did find myself distracted quite a bit this past year, seizing opportunities left and right as they come at me – and boy did they come at me from every-which angle. At first it was all so exciting – thinking about all the opportunities and potential.

But soon, it became hellish – trying to juggle way too many projects, unable to focus on any, and being spread too thin. It was like becoming the jack of all trades and master of none.

And I’ll say this, MASTERS make the money, MASTERS succeed at the ultimate level. Jack of all trades end up just being “really really busy”.

Now don’t get me wrong, that’s not to say that you shouldn’t be open to new possibilities and opportunities, rather it’s to say that if you already bought into an opportunity, make the very most out of it – MASTER it. Stop getting distracted. Stop trying too many things and spreading yourself too thin.

And yes, even if this means at times saying “no” to million dollar deals… because what you have going on, assuming it is something you truly believe and have faith in, will grow into a billion dollar deal – but only if you fully commit to it and dedicate yourself to it.

This is the year I become laser-focused on what I have going on in my business.? This is the year I stop getting distracted and start saying “no” to other opportunities and instead, make what I have going on the ultimate best.

To 2011 and to much success!

Raymond Fong

P.S. This doesn’t mean I am closed off, I still love to have conversations with other high-caliber folks (maybe even you) and who knows, maybe there is a way we can still work together without me taking my eyes off the prize and losing focus. Talk soon