If you’d like greater clarity, more energy and dramatically improved results, you’ll find the following ideas really useful. It’s all about how to harness the power of focus.
It starts with something that seldom gets mentioned, yet is critically important.
It’s simply this: One of the fastest ways to massively improve your success rate, is to give your full focus to as few projects as possible.
Why focus on fewer things?
When you are a small business owner or consultant, you have a relatively limited number of resources. You’re required to work on many tasks, which larger companies have dedicated teams for.
By focusing your valuable time on developing too many ideas or opportunities, you dilute how effective you can be with any one of them.
What follows are 2 well-known examples of the power focus, along with lesser known benefits of improving your focus.
Einstein on the power of focus
Einstein is famously quoted as saying that one of the reasons for his amazing success, was his ability to focus on each individual challenge for as long as required.
By intentionally choosing to focus on one project or plan at a time, and saying ‘no’ to the multitude of other ideas demanding your attention, you get to give your full mental resources to the development of that idea.
You also eliminate Mind Fog: The fuzzy thinking that comes from focusing on too many things simultaneously.
Steve Jobs on the power of focus
Steve Jobs shared his thoughts on the power of focus, at the Apple Worldwide Developers’ Conference in 1997:
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all.
It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.”
– Steve Jobs
The lesson here is clear. In all of your planning, it pays to start by determining what’s the very best use of your focus. Then, give that project, idea or opportunity as much of your available time as required.
But that’s not all.
There’s another major benefit to channelling your focus correctly.
The ‘extra’ power of focus
As well as the benefits already mentioned, the power of focus brings with it another, highly valuable component.
I’m referring to off-the-charts energy levels!
Not convinced? Well, you’ve already seen this in action many, many times. It’s what you witness every time you’ve heard someone talking with great enthusiasm and passion about a project, idea or opportunity.
These high energy entrepreneurs and leaders do not see their energy defused by foggy thinking. Instead, their laser sharp focus brings great clarity. That clarity increases their direction and purpose. They’re then energized and ready to go!
I hope you’ve found this brief look at the power of focus useful. More importantly, I hope it inspires you to take greater control over the number of things you focus on.