Focus is the only thing that matters to build your brand. This is what we’re here to discuss today.
After reading Dan Koe’s, The Art of Focus, I came to the conclusion that he was right.
He’s right about the fact that all that matters is focus. Whatever you focus on is what you will create in your life. As I’m building my personal brand, I’ve come to the conclusion that Dan is right and it’s all that matters.
In today’s edition, I’m going to be talking about how I’m applying what I’ve learned from him in this book to my personal brand journey (so far).
We’re specifically going to cover:
- Becoming a glitch in the matrix
- Having full control of your mental energy
- The human superpower is choice
Focus is attention with intention
Learning how to direct your focus (and not get distracted) is one of the most challenging things to do these days with our phones buzzing 24/7.
As you’re building your personal brand, it will require the time and energy to focus on understanding who you are and what you stand for. In order to do that, you need to have a clear vision of where you stand today and what you’re trying to achieve in life.
Some of us have been stuck in the matrix for so long we don’t know there are other ways to thrive in this life.
Becoming a glitch in the matrix
I am not Neo (but I would follow the white rabbit).
In order to truly build your personal brand in 2024, you need to be fully bought into the fact that it’s a different way of life. This is not about going to get a traditional job at an office that allows you to take PTO and vacations. This is about building something vs. leasing or renting space.
You’re building for your future self and you’ll be rewarded handsomely but it will take time.
Here’s what I mean:
The rat race: Typically everyone starts off by getting a job doing a service or work for someone else. Some of us continue on that path until we retire at 65 and use our last years to wonder and hope we have enough money to live before we die. That’s the traditional path that most people follow.
The red pill: Neo took the red pill in The Matrix. It opened his eyes to what’s possible and allowed him to understand the true power of what he’s capable of. This is how you’re going to see clearly what’s possible. It’s not going to happen immediately but by taking the red pill, you’ll join others that have been freed from the rat race.
Power in focus: Building your brand strategy will take time and it’s not going to happen overnight. Your goal should be to make the decision to focus on starting your personal brand. Once you’ve decided this is a path for you, that is the time at which you can start to move into focusing your mental energy in the right direction.
Remember to acknowledge where you are today and build a realistic plan to get to the next phase of your life.
Having full control of your mental energy
“Full control over where we focus our mental energy thanks to our ability to achieve personal goals, create efficient systems and solve better problems.” – Dan Koe
The last part of this quote sticks with me everytime: ‘Solve better problems’.
That’s exactly what we’re doing here. With focus on the right things, you’ll solve better problems in your life. This is not about anything else. Remember that what you focus on will breed results in a much better way for your future self.
Here’s how I apply this:
Setting goals: I use to set SMART goals for myself every year. That is until I read Ali Abdaal’s Feel Good Productivity book that talks about making everything that is hard, fun. I have layered in Dan Koe’s perspective of focusing your mental energy with the idea of Ali Abdaal’s idea of listening to music during a tough task. I now set goals that allow me to have fun (even if I don’t like the task at hand).
Systems: Most of what I do now has a system. I’ve built out a system for producing my content, automatically posting it on the platforms and blocking off time on my calendar to make sure I’m engaging as much as I should. I’ll write a detailed edition of this newsletter around systems at some point but understanding the need for using them is the first step.
Better Problems: By having goals set and systems to help me get to the outcomes, I’ve been able to focus on bigger (and better) problems. Right now, I’m working on figuring out how to scale up YouTube production without more production time.
Here’s a question to think about as you’re working on your goals and systems to achieve more:
How can I achieve this outcome without doing any additional work?
I know the question sounds odd but when you start asking interesting questions, you’ll get interesting answers from yourself.
The human superpower is choice
“One meaningful project. One hour of focused work. One day at a time, without waver. That’s the secret you’re looking for.” – Dan Koe
You can choose what to spend time on. It’s just a matter of whether it’s important enough for you to actually do something about it. It’s like saying ‘I’m going to the gym’. You can talk about it but until there is some change in action – you’re going to be the same person you are today.
For me, this quote was one of the most powerful things that I took very seriously.
Here’s why:
Focus is a muscle: I just started going back to the gym 4-5x days per week. This is a new thing for me to focus on. It’s a priority and it’s changed my life. I go to sleep at 9pm now and wake up at 4pm to get my 7 hours of sleep. I’ve now started building the muscle around writing this newsletter on a weekly basis and having time to create for others. It’s a new muscle that needs to be focused on for it to reach my goal.
Building habits: Once you’ve started to build your new muscle of focus, it’s time to convert that into a habit. Habits take repetitions over a long period of time to turn into a habit. Start with 3 sets of 30 minutes per week. Rest between sets to build this muscle of focus. When you start to feel your mind get stronger, add more time and reps. Increase it to 4 sets for 45 minutes. You’ll find the time in the day if it’s important enough to you.
Long term games: Choosing the right game to play requires long term thinking. Building your personal brand is a long term game. This is not a get rich quick scheme or like buying a Powerball lottery ticket. Interest on your money compounds in a bank just like creating content for your personal brand. Choose the right long term game and find your long term people to build it with.
Conclusion
Focus is attention with intention.
It matters more than anything in your life. Whatever you decide to focus on will become your reality. Whatever you’re looking to do with your life, focus on it. Focus will allow your future self to be calm and ready for anything.
Remember to:
- Become a glitch in the matrix
- Have full control of your mental energy
- Use your superpower of choice
Have a wonderful week my friends.
Until next time.
Andrew
Personal Brand Copilot
P.S. Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:
#1: Apply for my Audience to Leads service (the best way to supercharge lead generation for you in 2024). >>> Discover more here
#2: Promote your brand to this newsletter audience (and my YouTube channel). >>> Email me directly.
#3: Follow me on LinkedIn and YouTube for more on personal branding, writing and motivation.
