Skip to content
How about less focus?

How about less focus?

I need to do this. But what about that? Oops, almost forgot the other thing.

Echoing throughout the Internet, ironically embedded in one distraction after the next, I hear the recommendation:

“Focus!”

In business, “niche down”. In mastery, “sacrifice.” In writing, “choose a topic.”

Remove this

Remove that

Work the muscle

Trim the fat

It seems obvious. Focus invests attention for growth.

Yes, if you want to become a doctor, you need to pay great time and attention to large amounts of information coming at ridiculous speeds. Yes, you need to invest hours and hours in both book study and experience of interacting with patients and others in the field.

But what about our assumptions of focus itself? Must it always be a job or skill?

Currently, I work with clients, play the piano and board games, engage in the family, write books and courses… my attention is certainly spread amongst them.

However, I’m not certain that sacrificing one will the improve the others. In fact, it may do the opposite.

In playing the piano, I know without a doubt, that I am a better therapist, writer, and father. In engaging with my patients, I become a better author and course creator. In writing, my thoughts increasingly find clarity.

The spirit of engagement, the depth of flow between conscious and unconscious selves, the spark of curiosity, and a dance through the windows of challenge all point to a center…

How do we nurture play in work?

In other words, my focus isn’t a trade or skill. It is an idea.

I don’t believe that we always know what our center is. It is something we discover in time. “Follow your passion” doesn’t make sense when considered a compass point, rather than the growing force that it is.

“Although nature commences with reason and ends in experience it is necessary for us to do the opposite, that is to commence with experience and from this to proceed to investigate the reason.” – L. DaVinci

Certainly, I would not have been able to have become a physician without focus and sacrifice. But isn’t it equally important to pause and reflect:

What has my attention? What interests me? Where is my work? Could there be some soul shared between them?

– Kourosh

PS If you are interested in going beyond “productivity” and developing what you may sense as meaningful, consider Workflow Mastery, where Mastery and meaningful work develop from guided play.

Join the Weekly Wind Down Newsletter

Get a weekly letter about getting to play and meaningful work. Start getting where you want to be with calm focus. You’ll receive free samples of:

  • Creating Flow with OmniFocus
  • Taking Smart Notes with DEVONthink
  • Workflow Mastery
  • PDF on beating deadlines with ease using the Touching the Keys Technique

    Recent Posts

    The Pain of Potential

    The Pain of Potential

    I could do this! I can do that! But, I need to this! But, but... I really want to do that! One of the powers and frustrations of a wandering mind is the number of things that we can do at any one time. What’s even more frustrating is fully knowing that if we committed...

    read more

    Podcast appearance – The Omni Show!

    The Omni Group, makers of my beloved OmniFocus, OmniGraffle, and OmniOutliner, had me join their Omni Show podcast where I got to discuss my use of OmniFocus. Have a listen here. It's the second time I've been on the show, and I've really enjoyed my conversations with...

    read more
    The Vital Need for Play in Work

    The Vital Need for Play in Work

    When feeling dependent on deadlines, feeling that we can only things we are interested in, Forcing ourselves to work by some means can seem to be the only choice. However, it might be only have been a default choice.  It may have never occurred to you that alternative...

    read more
    OmniFocus 4 and the Horizon

    OmniFocus 4 and the Horizon

    Many of you have come to this site through my writings on OmniFocus (Here, Here, here and here). It's been years since I've written much about it. OmniFocus 4 has just been released by the Omni Group, and I'm super excited for it. As far as task management goes, it is...

    read more
    David Sparks’ Productivity Field Guide Released

    David Sparks’ Productivity Field Guide Released

    My pal, David Sparks, has done it again and released his latest Productivity Field Guide (Standard Edition|Plus Edition) (limited time 10% launch discount PFGLAUNCH). I do love his intro: “Productivity has become a dirty word... The real solution isn’t about doing...

    read more
    From Force to Freedom – The Visit Introduced

    From Force to Freedom – The Visit Introduced

    A Force-Based Method of Work There are several different ways of approaching work, but one in particular, I would call a Force-Based Method. There are several different ways of approaching work, but one in particular, I would call a Force-Based Method. You can...

    read more