Focus is a tricky thing because it suggests that the way to acquire it is through more intensity: Making something more “important”, devoting more resources to something, or getting more accountability to see it through.

But, I think the only real way to increase focus is to decrease the surrounding non-focuses. Sometimes, that means fully clearing away other things (removing clutter)... but most times, simply making a more conscious effort to shun competing areas of attention for a limited timeframe will do the trick.

For me, the biggest motivator is a deadline — so to focus, I’ll often create arbitrary deadlines that force me to clear away distractions and remove any excuses I could give to not meet that self-imposed deadline. There’s no “trying harder” or any weird rituals, it’s just getting rid of nonsense to allow myself the chance to work clearly and effectively.

In tandem with yesterday’s message: Trust that you ARE capable of doing great work — you simply need to help yourself get into that state where you can shine.