Focus

"Concentrate your energy, your thoughts, and your capital"

-Andrew Carnegie

Carnegie was a master of focus, far beyond just his investments.  Each action he took was a focused step towards a greater objective. Integrate your active, and passive, time to focus on your goals.

DESTINATION: Stephen Schwarzman, founder of Blackstone, stated that "The most important thing is having the right dream, achieving it, is mechanic." Later in this interview Stephen continues to state that the challenge is focusing on the right dream, and once that is completed, you are 70% done.

What destination are you focused on?

ONE THING: What is the one thing you can do, so that everything else you do will be easier or unnecessary?

This question, as made popular by Gary Keller, founder of Keller-Williams Real Estate, is THE critical question to apply focus to your life.  Beginning at 1:16, this podcast thoroughly examines the concept across all areas of Gary's life so that you can apply it to yours. A few examples are shown here: 

What is the one thing I can do for my dog? Hug him as soon as I arrive and he will be satisfied such that no further time is needed

Who is one person that I can hire right now so that everything else we are doing in the company would be easier or unnecessary? Gary found his answer in 1994 was to hire an outside CEO so that he could focus on guiding the company at a different level.

What is the one thing that one must remember? Think Big, Aim High.

Interested in learning more? See the transcript here or pick up the book; The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan

TOOLKIT: Andrew Huberman, a behavioral science expert, recently published his toolkit for focus. In this model, he describes focus and it's drivers in the body at a scientific level through a visual model; the arrow.

Shaft: Epinephrine, which allows for focus to occur

Arrow Head: Acetylcholine, the spotlight for where focus occurs

Momentum: Dopamine, an engine that keeps focus moving forward

Understand the neuroscience of focus by listening here

TIP: Habit

Warren Buffet says that "the chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken" Develop your habits to focus, and shed those habits which you know remove your ability to focus.

Stay Productive. 

Joe House