Zone Out and FOCUS

I was swimming laps today at the pool and this just hit me between the eyes…You know when you’re swimming and you hear all the noise above water but as soon as you go below the surface it’s silent?  It’s like this calm quietness where everything stops and it’s just you.  

When you are working towards something sometimes you have to zone out and focus, tune out those around you whether they’re naysayers or just those causing a distraction.  You have to figure out what works for you and how you focus best.  Is it at your local coffee shop?  The gym?  Going for a run? Taking a vacation?… (as my friend Matt from @notixtech would say). Whatever it is you have to find time to let yourself focus because sometimes the outside noise can cause us to stray.

In high school and college when I played volleyball there were so many times that people would say “did you hear me cheering for you?”  And honestly I didn’t at all.  When I stepped on the court I tuned everything around me out, the noise, the crowd, the music etc.  I was focused on my team and our competitors.  I studied the opponents and learned their weaknesses and where I could put the ball in the holes of the court.  I was zoned out but in the zone and I played my game.  It’s exactly the same with your business or start-up.  Zone out, focus on your team and learn about your competitors, find the weaknesses and make it work for you.  The outside noise is all around but you have to learn to tune it out if you want to get to the finish line and win.

Focus is so important when running a business or creating a startup, without it you’re not going to get anywhere.  A great source that Jason Sadler (yes, the iwearyourshirt guy) writes is titled “Focus More, Do Less.” I love this title and it’s so true.  Don’t spread yourself too thin, focus on what you’re trying to accomplish and make it the best it can be.

How do you focus and zone out?