Focus | Optimize

Heroic launches in 250 days Join the movement as a Heroic Founding member!

Try 14 Days Free

Showing 159 tag results for “focus”

All(159) +1s(81) PhilosophersNotes(6) Authors(7) Quotes(65)

+1s (81)

“The Purgatory of the Idiot”
#1286

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

vs. The School of Genius

As you probably noticed if you’ve been following along, I recently rebooted the PhilosophersNotes TV series. (Check it out on the App, on the site, on YouTube, on Instagram TV, on Facebook, on the podcast, and wherever else you mindfully consume your media!) As part of that relaunch after the two-year ...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Stillness Is the Key

Pack:
Conquering Digital Addiction

Areté conquering-digital-addiction focus iconoclast Mind mindfulness productivity

#1286

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
The Inventor of the Telephone
#1283

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Refused to Have a Telephone in His Study

Alexander Graham Bell once said: “Concentrate all your thoughts on the task at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” As I was preparing for our Fundies session on Focusing, I knew I’d share that. And, I knew I’d share the quote along with the recommendation to actu...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Digital Minimalism

Packs:
Conquering-digital-addiction & Productivity

conquering-digital-addiction focus Mind productivity technology time management

#1283

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
How to Create Time
#1253

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

And Put It to Work for Us

A few +1s ago, I invited you to join me and play The 100,000 Game. As in: 100,000 steps per week. Which, as we discussed, comes out to an average of 14,285.7 steps per day. (👈 Don’t forget that .7, folks!! 🤓) Now… You might see that number and think I’m a freak. And, of course, you’re r...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: The Freak Factor

Packs:
Masterpiece Days & Productivity

carpediem focus masterpiece-days Mind productivity time management

#1253

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
What’s Your 0?
#1249

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Let’s Turn It Into a φ

Since COVID-19 rolled into town and decided to stay (and then all of our other cultural issues took on an even greater degree of intensity), I started using online news sources to keep myself up to speed. A little bit of online news became a little bit more online news which became a little bit more whic...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Focus

Packs:
Creativity & Habits

Body creativity Deep Work Discipline focus Habits productivity

#1249

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
A Wandering Mind
#1234

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Is an Unhappy Mind

Not too long ago we spent some time with the brilliant neuroscientist Ian Robertson, discussing some Ideas from his great book The Winner Effect. Today we’re going to chat about a powerful idea from his book called The Stress Test which is all about “How Pressure Can Make You Stronger and Sharper...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: The Stress Test

Packs:
Conquering Depression & Meditation

conquering-depression focus Happiness meditation presence technology Work

#1234

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
How to Delete a Bad Habit (Again!)
#1233

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

One Way: Make It Harder

In our last +1, we alchemized an Enervator into an Energizer and did some fancy new math: -1 → +1 = +3 for the win! I mentioned the Enervator I wanted to address: Online news. Now, this isn’t a super-bad habit (like it used to be) but, frankly, I just don’t need to download the craziness in our wor...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Tiny Habits

Packs:
Conquering Digital Addiction & Habits

algorithms conquering-digital-addiction focus Habits productivity technology Work

#1233

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Limitless Steps
#1189

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

How to Moonwalk Around the Earth 2 Dozen Times

In our last +1, we talked about the fact that we are the superheroes of our own lives. Our ultimate supervillain? Technology. (At least when used sub-optimally.) Recall the 5 Digital D’s: Deluge + Distraction + Dementia + Deduction + Depression. (Note: I still can’t believe the stat that we are now e...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Limitless

Packs:
Peak Performance & Productivity

compound focus Fundamentals Peak Performance productivity Work

#1189

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Superhero, Meet Your Supervillain
#1188

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

The 5 Digital D’s: Deluge + Distraction + Dementia + Deduction + Depression

A few +1s ago we spent some time with Jim Kwik and his brilliant book Limitless. Jim is a huge fan of superheroes. As a kid, he suffered a brain injury that made it challenging for him to learn how to read. He found solace in comic books as they were both easy to read and packed with inspiring models. He...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Limitless

Packs:
Conquering-digital-addiction & Peak Performance

conquering-digital-addiction Flow focus Peak Performance productivity technology Work

#1188

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Clark Kent’s Changing Room
#1185

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

The Flow Telephone Booth

Continuing our brief foray through Jim Kwik’s brain and book, let’s talk about the power of getting into Flow. Jim tells us that being able to flip the switch and drop into a powerful Flow state is one of the keys to tapping into our (Limitless!!) superpowers. He quotes Steven Kotler in The Rise of S...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: The Rise of Superman

Packs:
Energy & Productivity

Deep Work Energy Flow focus productivity Work

#1185

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Astonishing Productivity
#1180

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Some Math on How to Create It

In our last +1, we had some fun playing with Cal Newport’s Deep Work equation. We modified it from: High Quality Work Produced = Time Spent x Intensity of Focus to: High Quality Work Produced = Time Spent x Quality of Energy x Intensity of Focus The basic idea: You can get a TON of high quality work pr...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: So Good They Can't Ignore You

Packs:
Energy & Productivity

Deep Work Energy focus productivity time management Work

#1180

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
High Quality Work Produced =
#1179

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Time Spent x Quality of Energy x Intensity of Focus

Back in the day, we chatted about Cal Newport’s Deep Work Equation. It goes like this: High Quality Work Produced = Time Spent x Intensity of Focus I’ve been playing around with that equation since I discovered it years ago. The more I think about it, the more I like it. And, the more I think about t...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Deep Work

Packs:
Energy & Productivity

Deep Work Energy focus productivity time management Work

#1179

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
How to Make Yourself Miserable
#1112

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

And How Not to Waste Brain Cells

In our last +1, we talked about my impulsive little foray into a Dropbox Paper chat—allowing myself to get distracted reacting to some inputs BEFORE doing my (pre-inputs!) Deep Work. I went across the Bright Line, noticed, starting sweating a bit (lol) and got back. Bright Lines for the What’s Im...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Grit

Packs:
Habits & Willpower

carpediem focus Habits process productivity willpower Work

#1112

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Crossing Bright Lines
#1111

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

And Getting Back on Track

This morning I did my normal thing. Starting last night with shutdown complete, etc. You know the drill. My #1 AM1 Deep Work goodness was clear: Create +1s. Note: That’s supposed to be pre-inputs. Only… That’s not what I did. Rather than get to work on the +1s, I found myself quickly checki...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Digital Minimalism

Packs:
Creativity & Habits

carpediem creativity focus Habits process productivity Work

#1111

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
Want to Make It Stick?
#1030

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Explain Like I’m 5

In our last +1, we talked about the research on the fact that The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking. Today I want to talk about another way to make what we’re learning stick. We’re going to consult with Barbara Oakley on this one. Barbara taught one of ...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: A Mind for Numbers

Packs:
Learning & Public Speaking

focus Learning productivity Speaking technology Work

#1030

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now
The Pen Is Mightier
#1029

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Than the Keyboard (Science Says re: Taking Notes)

In our last +1, we talked about Phil Stutz’s insight that leadership entails a willingness to embrace what he calls “hatred and misunderstanding.” We connected that to Steve Chandler’s wisdom on “Pleasing vs. Serving.” Recall Steve’s distinction from Crazy Good: “When I was a desperate, s...

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

+1 inspired by Note: Make It Stick

Pack:
Learning

focus Learning productivity technology Work

#1029

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Get instant access to all +1's!

Join nearly 10,000 members in the
1,000-Day Epic Optimizing Challenge
and start optimizing your life today.

Join Now

Show more +1s

Loading more +1s for you...

PhilosophersNotes (6)

Make Time

How to Focus on What Matters Every Day

by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky

Want to Make Time? Well, Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky (JZ) have the system to help you, as per the sub-title of their great book: “Focus on What Matters Every Day.’ Jake and JZ met at Google. Jake had worked on Gmail and JZ on YouTube before they connected at Google Ventures. While there, they worked with a ton of startups in which Google invested (including Uber, Slack and 23andMe) on a project-development system they created called “Sprint.” This book is all about resetting our culture’s default settings by stepping off of what they call “the Busy Bandwagon” while jumping out of “Infinity Pools” of distraction to optimize our energy, focus, and time. It’s a GREAT book that echoes a ton of what we talk about all the time. Big Ideas we explore include how to make time in four steps: Highlight (what's today's focal point?) + Laser (vs. disco balls) + Energize (be a good Homo sapien) + Reflect (it's all one big experiment!).

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Packs:
Conquering Digital Addiction & Digital Minimalism

digital minimalism Energy focus masterpiece-days productivity time management

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More
Barking Up the Wrong Tree

The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong

by Eric Barker

Eric Barker is the creator of the blog Barking Up the Wrong Tree, which “presents science-based answers and expert insight on how to be awesome at life.” This is a REALLY engaging, well-written, compelling book. Eric takes us on a fun adventure through the science of what *really* works. And, as the sub-title suggests: How most of what you *think* works, is either a LOT more nuanced than you may have been led to believe or is just plain wrong. Big Ideas we explore include why valedictorians don’t typically top the success charts, how to get more willpower, why managing your energy is so key, the power of mentors (and how to get one), and the #1 thing to remember for success.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Leadership & Positive Psychology

Energy focus Mentors positive-psychology Top 101 willpower

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Watch PNTV
Fully Engaged

Using the Practicing Mind in Daily Life

by Thomas M. Sterner

Thomas Sterner wrote the great book The Practicing Mind (see Notes). This is a follow-up practical guide to applying the concepts in that book to our daily lives. It’s a great little book packed with wisdom and zero fluff. Having the ability to do be fully (!) engaged in this moment is the ultimate super power. Big Ideas we explore include: how to be fully engaged, the #1 goal of meditation, how to get in total control of your life, goal poison, premeditated procedures, and the powerful question: “And then what?”

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Packs:
Meditation & Productivity

focus Modern Classic

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More
Focus

The Hidden Driver of Excellence

by Daniel Goleman

Daniel Goleman is a former New York Times science writer and author of the uber-bestselling book Emotional Intelligence. In Focus, we look at the underlying neuroscience of attention. We need to start by realizing that the strength (or weakness) of our attention is at the core of E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. we do. Everything! Which is why Goleman calls it “the hidden driver of excellence.” Big Ideas we explore include rumination vs. reflection, the three foci of willpower, smart practice and hitting the mental gym.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Conquering Digital Addiction & Meditation & Peak Performance

Attention focus Modern Classic Work

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV
Smarter Faster Better

The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business

by Charles Duhigg

Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning NY Times journalist (and Harvard MBA) who wrote the best-selling book The Power of Habit in which he walked us through the science of building better habits. In this book, he walks us through the science of being productive so we can be smarter, faster and better at everything we do. It’s a great book packed with fascinating stories and practical applications. Big Ideas we explore include the 2 keys to motivation, how to build your focus, the best way to set goals (think: Stretch + SMART), why disfluency helps learning and how productivity is all about choices.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Business & Productivity

Best of Optimize focus Modern Classic Motivation Work

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Watch PNTV
Deep Work

Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

by Cal Newport

Deep Work. It’s the key to how you get So Good They Can’t Ignore You—which, of course, is the title of another one of Cal’s great books. Big Ideas include Deep Work vs. Shallow Work, how to give your neurons a workout, cleaning up attention residue, the four rules of deep work, finding the routine that works for you and learning how to shut down completely.

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Packs:
Conquering Digital Addiction & Creativity & Digital Minimalism & Modern Hērō & Productivity

Best of Optimize Deep Work Flow focus Mastery Modern Classic Top 101 Work

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get instant access!

Join Brian’s Optimal Living program and get instant access to this PhilosophersNote + Master Classes + other goodness to optimize your life.

Learn More

Get Podcast

Watch PNTV

Show more PhilosophersNotes

Loading more PhilosophersNotes for you...

Authors (7)

Show more Authors

Loading more Authors for you...

Quotes (65)

Show more Quotes

Loading more Quotes for you...