The biggest theme for me this semester is crafting deep focus. The kind of concentration I have determines how much of my potential I can unlock at a given time, which then determines my outcomes. The times I “deep worked” revealed to me how profoundly different my outcomes can be: I can achieve more with less time.
Focus is a skill of being intensely present and concentrated on the task at hand. If I am able to do it in one area of my life, it should be easier for me to learn to craft the same level of focus in a different area. I could notice that I am similarly not fully focused when working, meditating, running, talking to a friend, etc. There is always something else on my mind.
In the modern world, it takes being very proactive and intentional to craft and preserve my focus. I am constantly being seduced by offers: not just social media notifications and ads, but also countless offers for work, social activities. There is so much abundance of choices that there is a complete lack of focus. Crafting focus starts with recognizing the distractions and slowly starting to say no to them. Before I learn to be focused, I must learn to not be distracted.
Relevant Posts:
Deep Work | real.edu
Indistractable | Nir Eyal