The world is full of distractions.
One click and you find yourself in a place you didn’t want to be.
But there are a few principles that allow you to stay focused all day to grow your business or personal brand.
1. The Power of a ‘Why’
Your brain is a goal-getting machine.
If you don’t have a clear goal, you won’t be able to sustain your focus.
The key to lasting focus is meaning.
You must attach emotional reasons to your revenue goals.
Think about why it is so important for you to make 20k/month in your business.
Humans are emotional beings – even if we like to think we are rational actors.
You’ll unlock higher levels of focus when your mind and heart are in synch.
2. The Clarity of Vision
Goals are good for short-term growth, a vision is great for long-term growth.
Think of your goals as milestones and your vision as the mountain.
Goals – 30 days, 90 days, and yearly.
Vision – 3 years, 5 years, and decades.
An easy way to identify your vision is to define your dream day.
What would you do from the moment you wake up to when you go to bed?
Write it down in your journal.
Your brain releases dopamine once you have intellectual and emotional clarity – a vision.
Dopamine helps you stay motivated and happy during the pursuit of your goals.
As one of my mentors Robin Sharma says, “Clarity is the DNA of mastery.”
3. Separate to Elevate
We are social beings.
The people around you have a big influence on your mental state.
It’s impossible to stay focused when you are around people who don’t have a focus.
Focus is about creating the right conditions.
Audit your social circle.
The exception is family.
You can’t get rid of your family and you shouldn’t never attempt that.
But the rest is replaceable or limitable.
You can cut ties or time with respect.
It’s about communicating your priorities with honesty.
Some will understand, some not.
And that is fine.
Distancing yourself from the crowd has a price.
Progressing on your vision has a bigger reward.
If you want to live a life you’ll be proud of on your deathbed – Separate to elevate.
4. In Harmony With Nature
Focus is about creating the right conditions.
And is there a wiser way to start than with your body?
Before looking at productivity tools, optimize your biology.
Focus happens when certain things happen in your body.
The current productivity sphere has it backward.
People like to ignore the basics because they crave novel solutions.
Biohacking, morning routines, and shiny productivity apps.
80% of your ability to focus doesn’t come from those things.
Good sleep, daily exercise, a common sense diet, and some form of meditation.
If you do these habits most of your days, you’re set.
Your brain is a machine that needs certain inputs to perform at a high level.
5. Be a Sprinter
Most elite performers work in short, intense bursts, followed by breaks.
It’s not about long hours and hard work for the sake of hard work.
I tend to do 60-90 minutes of intense work followed by a 10-20 minute break.
On weekdays, I write for 2-3 hours and take a 2-hour lunch break.
During my lunch break, I eat, walk, or exercise while listening to a podcast.
This is my optimal cadence these days.
Don’t follow prescriptions, experiment with your ideal rhythm.
It’s amazing how much you can get done in a few hours when you have the foundations right.
Sprint, don’t run too far.
6. Rest Like a King
Rest is a necessity, not a luxury.
This maxim continues to serve me to keep my focus and prevent burnout.
Many elite performers and biohackers obsess over their sleep quality.
The 80/20 of resting – same sleep times, 7-8 hours of sleep, taking weekends off, working only 5 hours a day, and having fun.
Never sacrifice your health over a long period.
It’s never worth it, even if you achieve your most ambitious goals.
Work hard like a peasant but rest like a king.
7. The Art of Saying ‘No’
Focus is about saying no without feeling bad about it.
Saying no means saying yes to your vision.
The modern world is your oyster – but you have to choose the right one.
You’ll miss out on opportunities and that is fine.
The grass isn’t greener on the other side.
Focus requires keeping your oyster and not chasing the shiny ones.
I say no 95% of the time and I’m not proud of it.
I only make exceptions for my family and 3 people.
Practice saying no until the default becomes saying yes to the vision.
Here you have it – the 7 principles that helped me stay laser-focused and grow to levels I could never imagine.
