Okonkwo was a great man, but he was plagued by single-mindedness. If you have read Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, you already know how his story ends.
Driven by unyielding determination, Okonkwo sought to control not only what lay within his power but also what lay beyond it. His obsessive pursuit of success made him excessively proud, intolerant of weakness, and perpetually at odds with his people, his chi, the memory of his father, and ultimately, the white man.
His tunnel vision—rooted in an unwavering belief in his tradition, masculinity, and dominance—shaped his interactions with both nature and people. That same rigidity led to his seven-year exile and, eventually, his tragic downfall after he killed a white man.
Yet history shows us that single-mindedness is not always destructive.
Isaac Newton, another man of relentless focus—who famously remained a virgin his entire life—once wrote:
“Truth is ever to be found in simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things.”
Newton’s obsessive focus gave the world calculus and the laws of motion. Okonkwo’s gave him ruin. The difference was not the focus itself, but how it was held.
Today, we live in a fast-paced digital world filled with distractions. Complexity and information overload are the norm. Unlike Okonkwo or Newton, most of us juggle multiple goals, responsibilities, and ambitions, often feeling overwhelmed by the sheer weight of it all.
You have probably heard the saying, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” It warns against spreading oneself too thin and instead champions the power of focus—having a single “north star” to guide one’s efforts.
A clear, singular goal brings direction. It helps prioritise resources, reduces noise, and can lead to remarkable success.
However, the danger lies in becoming Okonkwo.
When focus hardens into arrogance, when conviction leaves no room for reflection, and when one refuses to acknowledge alternative perspectives or heed wise counsel, single-mindedness ceases to be a strength and becomes a flaw.
True success is not merely about having a north star. It is also about knowing when to adjust one’s course, when to listen, and when to evolve.
