Jump Up and Down in Your Puddle - Don’t Spit in the Ocean

31 Mar

Have you ever watched Kids in a Puddle? They’re all in - laughing, splashing, wholly immersed in the moment. Now, picture another group of kids standing at the ocean's edge, spitting into the waves, hoping to make an impact.

Who’s having more fun? Who’s seeing the results of their effort? More importantly, who will stick with it long enough to win?

It’s the puddle-jumpers every time.

Most people believe that bigger is better - that to succeed, you need to go wide, expand fast, and capture everything. But here’s the reality: when you’re small and try this, the ocean swallows you whole.

The fastest path to growth isn’t about tackling everything - it’s about owning your puddle. Your niche. Your beachhead. The one thing that, if you pour your energy into it, will multiply your impact.

Why Focus Wins

Love what you do? You do more of it.
The more you do, the better you get.
The better you get, the more impact you make.

Meanwhile, those trying to make waves in the ocean too soon exhaust themselves, barely making a ripple.

Momentum Comes from Mastering One Thing

Success isn’t about chasing everything at once - it’s about being so good at one thing that you can’t be ignored. As Confucius wrote - “The man who chases two rabbits catches neither.”

In a puddle, every splash is a direct result of your effort. Unlike spitting into the ocean - where your work disappears without a trace - you get instant feedback.

Launch a focused product? Boom - customers react.
Adjust based on feedback? Immediate impact.
Test a new strategy? You’ll know quickly if it’s working.

When you focus on a small, defined space, progress is evident. You know if something is working, and you can double down on what moves the needle.

Try to do it all? You’re just throwing effort into the abyss, hoping something sticks.

Even Giants Started in a Puddle

We often see massive corporations and forget they began in a small, focused niche.

Amazon? Just books.
Under Armour? One moisture-wicking shirt.
Virgin? A mail-order record business.

Master the puddle before taking on the ocean.

The Trap of Chasing Too Many Puddles

Here’s where it gets tricky. Once success comes, the temptation grows to chase another puddle. New ideas, new distractions, new “opportunities,” and suddenly…

The group splits, and the fun disappears.
Focus dissolves, and momentum stalls.
The game changes and everyone loses interest.

Saying no is often more challenging than saying yes. But it’s essential. Stay consistent. Expand - yes. Grow - yes. Just don’t lose sight of the first puddle!

As Gary Keller asks in The ONE Thing:

"What is the ONE thing you can do such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?"

So, Where’s Your Puddle?

If you want to make an impact, don’t start by trying to boil the ocean.

Master a niche before expanding.
Play where your effort matters.
Iterate fast, measure results, and stay locked in.

Here’s a Simple Test:

What’s the ONE thing you do that delivers the biggest impact?
Where do you already see the strongest results?
If you focused ONLY on that, what would change?

Can you define your puddle in one sentence?

If not, you’re spitting in the ocean.

Final Thought: Own Your Puddle. Make Waves. Multiply Impact.

"Success isn’t about conquering the ocean - it’s about making waves in your puddle."

So, what’s it going to be?

Jump up and down in your puddle… or keep spitting in the ocean, hoping for a miracle?

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Jayne Millar