What does Steve Huynh mean when he says focus follows a power law?

Steve Huynh argues that splitting time between two projects does not make you 50% effective on each; it is more like 15% on both, and worse with three or more. So when a main project is blocked waiting on someone, he advises against starting a second one and recommends thinking ahead on the primary project instead, even if that work turns out to be throwaway.

• Huynh calls spreading yourself too thin the biggest risk to a promotion.

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on A Life Engineered (2026-10-23). Read the whole episode summary →

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