Focus requires sacrifice | Issue #3

Focus. Focus. Focus.

Here’s what’s been true for me, and maybe this resonates with you. At the beginning of the New Year, I had grand ideas: I tried to build four new habits that required a 28-hour day and an 8-day week. I only added items to the list of things I’m already doing; I didn’t remove any. I want to focus on these new things, but I didn't create enough space for myself to do so.

Now that it’s February and all of the New Year’s resolutions have faded away, let’s get serious about focus. The truth of the matter is, to focus on one thing, you need to say no to focusing on dozens of other things. On top of the external sacrifice, the internal sacrifice—what you endure within the goal—is just as important to recognize.

When you decide to master a skill, build a project, or be present for a specific moment, you are intentionally letting other plates drop. You have to. If you don’t, you’re not focusing. The key is to intentionally let go of other things. You have to sacrifice them.

Notice that not all of the above sacrifices are bad things! The hardest part is acknowledging the fact that some things you have to give up are actually good. To focus, even some hobbies, secondary goals, or social invites have to be sacrificed.

Focus requires the courage to be mediocre at what doesn't matter right now.

Focus isn’t a peaceful state; it’s often a grind. And in that grind, there is sacrifice.

To focus deeply on something means sacrificing your comfort. It means sitting with frustration, pushing through the “boring middle,” and dealing with the mental fatigue that comes with high-level output.

And that’s coming from someone with shiny object syndrome! I’m realizing more and more that, to focus more deeply and finish the project I want to see through, I have to sacrifice the excitement of starting something new. I have to kill the dopamine hit of the “day 1” idea to endure “day 47” of the same idea.

That sacrifice is difficult on another level because what you’re sacrificing can be part of your identity. If you’re the “softball legend” to those around you, and you need to sacrifice playing in the league to focus on a different goal, that part of your identity can go with it.

And that’s not easy, so your focus needs to be worth the sacrifice.

Sacrifice can sound like a negative term, but in the context of focus, like in the context of worship, sacrifice is a good thing. Sacrifice isn’t a loss; it’s a down payment on the result.

By narrowing the “surface area” of your efforts, you can increase the “depth” of your impact. By taking the step to identify what you’re willing to sacrifice in order to focus, you enable yourself to reap the rewards of sowing your focus. By focusing on the thing that is going to drive the highest value for you right now, you actually get a return for your investment of time and energy.

It’s like the difference between a lightbulb and a laser. When turned on, a lightbulb illuminates all things around it. A lightbulb has a low focus, but touches many things. A laser, by contrast, has a high degree of focus. While it can’t illuminate much around it, the laser can cut through steel.

And don’t forget: the “plates” you let drop are temporary. You can pick them back up later. The progress you make on the one thing you focused on is permanent.

With New Year’s resolutions fading (fine, I’ll speak for myself), where are we going to focus? I’m asking myself this question, and I invite you to do the same: What is one “good” thing you are willing to let be mediocre this month so that your “great” thing can survive? Maybe we could call it strategic mediocrity.

Not that you need it, but you’ve got permission to fail at the secondary stuff. Let the plates drop. Shatter them if you need to.

Peace be with you,

psst… hey, could you forward this to someone you think would find it valuable? I’d greatly appreciate it!