Focus is today’s competitive advantage.
The internet has democratized access and information. Do you feel like you are missing out on that Warren Buffet talk at Columbia Business School? Want to learn right from Mark Cuban about basketball and business? How about Seth Godin giving you tips on tribes, marketing and brands? No worries, the tools and tips are right there on the person’s website, YouTube or someone’s blog page. The content is there.
With ample resources at our fingertips, there is no shortage of information and access. Now the hard thing to do is keeping your focus. Focus on what matters. Focus on the little stuff. Focus on constantly learning and moving forward. To do great work, you have to focus intentionally and with intensity. Only then the results will exceed the expectations.
Dr. Cal Newport at TEDxTysons stated that “the market is going to reward the deep, concentrated work required to build real skills and to apply those skills to produce things -like a craftsman- that are rare and that are valuable.”In his most recent book Deep Work , he argues that focus is the new I.Q. in the knowledge economy, and that individuals who cultivate their ability to concentrate without distraction will thrive.
There you have it. Focus.