In episode 9 I talk through a bunch of topics on my mind in the last week – finding and regaining focus as a team, how writing helps me break down complex topics, and I check in on some of the habits I've been trying to build.
Focus
- It's really hard to gain once you lose it as a business.
- Loss aversion can hold you back from making the right decisions.
- You often lose focus for very good reasons – regaining it can cause people to be short-term frustrated. Difficult transition, but the long term benefits are almost always worthwhile.
- Not everyone will be happy in the short-term, and that’s OK – as long as you take their feedback onboard, understand it and address it as best you can.
- Focus is hard!
Writing to learn
- Writing 200 words a day – Ulysses (a writing app) has helped me achieve this goal.
- Writing helps me understand topics better.
- Writing forces me to learn – if I want to teach and share with others I need to understand the subject better.
Habits
- Skipping – not done enough in the last few weeks, despite feeling great when I was doing it. My goal is now to aim to do a shorter time skipping and bake it into my routine.
- Writing – going well! Writing 200 words a day, thanks to encouragement from Ulysses.
- Blocking time in my calendar, instead of using a todo list – has changed a lot about my approach to time management.
Actions / take aways
- Focus is about saying no to really good ideas.
- Be clear on what you want, and what your priorities are – so spend time on those.
- Don’t be afraid to take time out to get clear on what is important to you.
- Challenging topic you're struggling to understand? Try to write it down. Scribble it, type it, and you’ll likely find it helps you clarify your thinking.
- Habits: try breaking down your habits into the smallest possible activity. Don’t give up!
Links and further reading
Thanks, and see you next time!
P.S. I'm on Twitter https://twitter.com/jamesjgill
Music: Jakarta by Bonsaye
Podcast hosting: Transistor
