In episode 9 of the Lost and Founder podcast, I share why it's so hard to find and regain focus in a business and how I'm working to address it.
I also explain how writing helps me break down complex topics, and revisit some of the habits I've been working on over the last few weeks.
Focus
- It's really hard to gain once you lose it as a business.
- Loss aversion can hold you back from making the right decisions.
- You often lose focus for good reasons — regaining it can cause people to be short-term frustrated. Difficult transition, but the long-term benefits are almost always worthwhile.
- Not everyone will be happy in the short-term, and that’s OK — as long as you take their feedback onboard, understand it and address it as best you can.
- Focus is hard!
Writing to learn
- How Ulysses (a writing app) has helped me achieve my goal of writing 200 words a day.
- Writing helps me understand topics better.
- Writing forces me to learn — if I want to teach and share with others I need to understand the subject better.
Habits
- Skipping — not done enough in the last few weeks, despite feeling great when I was doing it. My goal is now to aim to do a shorter time skipping and bake it into my routine.
- Writing — going well. Writing 200 words a day, thanks to encouragement from Ulysses.
- Blocking time in my calendar, instead of using a to-do list — has changed a lot about my approach to time management.
Actions / take aways
- Focus is about saying no to really good ideas.
- Be clear on what you want, and what your priorities are — so spend time on those.
- Don’t be afraid to take time out to get clear on what is important to you.
- Challenging topic you're struggling to understand? Try to write it down. Scribble it, type it, and you’ll likely find it helps you clarify your thinking.
- Try breaking down your habits into the smallest possible activity. Don’t give up.
Links and further reading
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Habit tracker journal, and signup here to get $10 off.
- Ulysses for writing goals
- How one CEO spends their time
Thanks, and see you next time!
Music: Jakarta by Bonsaye Podcast hosting: Transistor