Too many projects and ideas? Here's a little comfort.

New ideas often pop into my head and add to a growing list of diverse projects and goals. Reason tells me I should trim the list, choose and focus.

But then I remember Thomas Jefferson who was an accomplished architect and botanist, spoke five languages, invented the swivel chair and introduced mac and cheese to America (though apparently his recipe was awful). Oh yeah, and he also wrote the Declaration of Independence, a remarkably poetic piece of philosophy. At age 33.

Seems to me that Jefferson didn’t like choosing either. Singularity of purpose has its advantages, but we’re not all wired that way. I used to worry about being a generalist, but have found that it facilitates connections with a variety of people, boosts creativity and greatly improves problem solving. So I try to go with it.

Still, when a new idea strikes, a new pursuit beckons, I do wonder if I'll have the time to get to it. It struck me today that whenever this doubt occurs, I’m comforted by Jefferson’s words on the topic:

“Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time, who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done, if we are always doing.”