How To Stay Focused – For Real People

The answer might surprise you.

The usual advice for accomplishing a goal goes something like this….

  • Get Up Earlier
  • Prioritize!
  • Do the Easy Stuff First
  • Do the Hardest Stuff First
  • Do the Most Important Stuff First…
  • Baby Steps
  • Vision Board
  • Visualize Winning
  • Stay Organized!
  • Get A Day Planner
  • Remove Distractions
  • White Noise
  • Accountability Partner
  • Take Breaks
  • Stay Focused
  • Reward Yourself
  • Just Do It!
However, if you’re an actual human being, you know from experience that all of the organizing, planning, and discipline in the world doesn’t get things done – at least not the RIGHT things.

If it IS the RIGHT thing, you don’t need all the planning boards, financial funding, motivation posters…. You don’t even need discipline because… If you’re clearly and genuinely inspired to do something, all the forces of the universe couldn’t stop you.

“If you have truly attained wholeness,
everything will flock to you.”
— Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

You don’t need a reminder to remind you of your reminders….

Does the sun need a reminder to shine? Does a mama bird need a reminder app to feed her babies? Do you need a notification to fall asleep when you’re tired? Or do you just naturally do what you naturally do?

“Tips for Success” that tell you to remove distractions are the biggest distraction of all….

REAL focus requires you to stop trying to focus. Don’t remove distractions. Don’t get a workout buddy. And for the love of God, please stop visualizing, brainstorming, and talking about what you’re GOING to do.

If you’re TALKING about it, you’re not actually DOING it.

If you really love what you’re doing, you can simply enjoy doing it. Any necessary pre-planning or brainstorming happens naturally, spontaneously, and consciously AS YOU’RE ALREADY DOING the thing you love.

Instead of visualizing, you can allow the vision to come to you, as it does and IF it does. It’s either there, or it isn’t….

Do you need to get pumped up or give yourself rewards for enjoying a creative project? Or do you simply ENJOY the project?

Artificial motivation is for people trying to do something they don’t REALLY want to do.

Does a lover of design need motivation to design? Does a car aficionado need motivation to build cars? Does a numbers geek need motivation to do math? They can’t even stop themselves from doing what they naturally love and are naturally inspired to do.

Rewards are for people not enjoying the reward of their actual work….

If you find yourself procrastinating or getting distracted, maybe you don’t really want to do it.

If you can drop all expectations about what you “have to do” or what you’re “supposed” to do… or what would give you money, status, or fame…. you can get in touch with your natural inspiration. You know you discovered the RIGHT thing when it feels genuinely GOOD to do it. No chemical stimulants necessary.

Success is naturally intrinsic to simply doing what you ENJOY doing – in EACH moment. You’re not chasing success, you’re not worried about success… You’re not even thinking about success… because you’re too busy ENJOYING whatever you personally LOVE to do.

“Each act has its own punishment and reward intrinsic to it….” Osho

If you’re not fully inspired to do something, you may want to first find the thing you’re inspired to do.