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Going Small

Focusing on one thing each day is what leads to extraordinary success. This feels counterintuitive because we're used to multitasking, but success comes from doing the right things in the right sequence, each action building on the last rather than doing lots of unrelated things simultaneously.

You start by creating a big vision for your life and then narrowing your focus until you're thinking small. Going small means:

• Ignoring the many things you could do and focusing on the right things
• Recognizing that not everything is equally important and finding the things that matter most
• Connecting your daily actions with what you ultimately want in life

Most people think and live their days in the opposite way. Achieving big goals seems too intimidating and time-consuming, so they keep themselves busy with immediate demands rather than looking to the future. They keep their calendars packed and to-do lists unprioritized, leaving them feeling overwhelmed and unaccomplished.

The key to productivity and success is not trying to do as many things as possible but rather focusing on a select few tasks that will have the greatest impact. These high-priority tasks should be the ones that align with your goals and priorities and that will move you closer to achieving them.

The Domino Effect

When you focus on the right priorities, everything falls into place like the progression of dominoes. Each domino contains a small amount of energy, and as the chain of falling dominoes progresses, the energy in the sequence builds to an outsized result.

In the early 80s, physicist Lorne Whitebread discovered that a single domino could bring down another domino that's 50% bigger. The tenth domino in a sequence would be nearly as tall as NFL quarterback Payton manning, the 23rd would be taller than the effeil tower, and the 57th would be comparable in height to the distance between the earth and the moon.

Success in life is sequential; it isn't achieved overnight or by doing many different things simultaneously. Instead, you build momentum by doing the smallest thing you can today and building on that achievement the next day.

Focus

When it comes to focus, one saying has always stuck with me: "You can go a mile wide, and an inch deep, or you can go an inch wide and a mile deep." Getting things done requires you to focus, or as I like to call it, it requires you to Follow One Course Until Successful. You can learn to create better results by managing procrastination and distractions and focusing on the one most important activity.

Procrastination happens when we desire to do something other than the task at hand, there's an aversion to doing the task itself or a mixture of both. You can overcome procrastination by learning to recognize when you're doing it and simply acknowledging it's there. Once you do, try telling yourself you only have to work on the task for a few minutes, and if you still want to quit, you can. More often than not, you'll find a willingness to continue.

Distractions yank you away from your focus and delay your progress. Having your phone nearby, browsing the internet, or allowing negative thoughts to intrude continuously are all distractions that cost you heavily, even though they can be easily remedied. If you run into any distractions, eliminate them as quickly as possible.

Conclusion

In conclusion, focusing on one thing each day is essential for achieving extraordinary success. By creating a big vision for your life, narrowing your focus, and connecting your daily actions with your ultimate goals, you build momentum and make progress toward achieving your dreams. The key is not to try to do too many things at once but rather to focus on the few high-priority tasks that will have the greatest impact.

Six Habits for Conquering Anxiety and Depression

I used to feel like the empty shell of a person just going through the motions of life. People jokingly referred to me as a robot and described me as overly logical without any apparent emotions. I was depressed, anxious, and didn't understand the point of being alive.

I learned the importance of analyzing my needs and wants, consuming information and resources that got me excited about life, doing what needed to be done to close the gap with where I wanted to be, and finding rest within myself to be free from anxiety and disturbances. I also learned how to trust myself and to rely on a solid group of friends allowing me to tap into an enormous amount of strength.

I summarized everything I learned in the Six Habits for Conquering Anxiety and Depression e-book to help you make the same journey. You can sign up for my newsletter on the bottom of this page to receive blog updates (never spam), and you will receive the ebook for free.

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