7 Ways To Develop A Laser-Like Focus

“The successful warrior is the average man with laser-like focus” – Bruce Lee

I recall watching an interview in which Microsoft Founder Bill Gates and the world’s greatest investor Warren Buffet sat on a panel. At the time, they were the two wealthiest people in the world so every word they said had a lot of weight. The interviewer asked them “what is one characteristic that everyone needs to be successful?” Instantaneously both of them said “FOCUS”.

If you are like me, you are seeking success and purpose. Ever since I saw that interview, I tried my best to have a clear focus on what I wanted and the steps I needed to accomplish it. Focus was so obvious. Of course you would need to have focus but if it was that easy, why aren’t more people successful. One reason is that having focus is not that easy. It’s a simple concept but difficult to consistently execute on a daily basis. So how does someone develop the focus needed to become successful? Below are 7 ways to develop laser-like focus and how you can practice them every day.

Productive meditation. Take a period in which you’re occupied physically but not mentally such as walking, jogging, showering and focus your attention on a single well-defined professional problem. This encourages mindfulness.

Pomodoro Technique. Working with intervals of deep work and rest helps us be more productive.This encourages people to work with the time they have—rather than against it. Break your workday into 25-minute chunks separated by five-minute breaks then repeat.

Environment design. Select a “focus place” you can go to whenever you need to concentrate and rearrange it so that distractions are impossible. This is a dedicated place of peace and clarity.

Look at the color red. A 2009 study published found that when people saw the color red while they were focusing on certain tasks, their performance, memory and attention to detail improved.Scheduled distractions. Don’t just plan when you’ll do focused work. Arrange times to use social media or other distractions. Set time to be distracted so that it doesn’t interfere when you set time to be focused.

Use the ABC method. Our brains are constantly distracted by “internal and external environments,” meaning thoughts, sounds or interruptions. ABC stands for: aware, breathe and choose. To start, become aware of your options by choosing whether to pay attention to distractions. Next, breathe and relax while you choose to focus or get distracted.

Recharge the brain and Sleep. Here’s a no-brainer: sleep has a direct link to cognitive functions such as the ability to focus and perform. A lack of sleep can result in an inability to pay attention and focus, lower productivity, slower reaction times and forgetfulness. Get your zzzz in!

Laser-like focus takes time, practice and commitment. Humans are like goldfish, shorter and shorter as shiny objects distract us from the task at hand on a daily basis. The world is constantly bombarding us with distractions as companies, the media, and people fight for our attention. In a fast paced, high stimulus world, honing that laser-like focus is necessary to be able to keep your eye on your goal and the energy needed to execute when necessary. Be aware and mindful of your environment, mood, distractions and energy so that you can focus like a laser and not a flashlight.

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