You can get very focused while lost in a project that you care about, or you can get very lost trying to focus on several different things at once.
My favorite is when I am truly lost in deep focus. When I write, hours can go by without me hearing or seeing anything except for words on paper or computer. When I sleep, I dream about those words.
Are you lost or are you focused?
I’ll admit it, I’m a project jumper. I have to work really hard to stay on task. Even with my minimalist desires, there are so many things I want to create and execute.
There are two books that have been instrumental in my attempt to dial down, and do one thing at a time. In the interest of full disclosure, please know that these are not affiliate links. I am recommending these books to you because they’ve helped me.
I also recommend them because they are good books written by good guys.
How to Get Focused and Create What Matters
Dan Goodwin wrote this book in an effort to continue to help artists create, and finish great work. Dan and I met via Twitter and he has been a great friend and supporter of my creative efforts. With chapter names like Welcome to the Crazy Hotel and Slow Burners, Hot Flashes, Stilettos and Red Carnations, this book will keep you entertained.
Dan knows that we creative types all have similar struggles.
Struggles like…
- finding time and space to create
- creating without checking email every five minutes
- trying to quiet our internal negative voices that tell us our work is not good enough
This book will help you with your creative process by reminding you that ideas are endless, but you don’t have to develop every single one that you have. Just getting that permission to let an idea go is very freeing. If you need assistance narrowing down your idea field, creating new ideas, or finishing what you start, this book is for you!
Focus
If you found Be More with Less through my guest post on Leo’s blog, you are familiar with his effortless writing style. If you like that about him, this book does not disappoint.
Leo Babauta designed each section of Focus to lead you through the necessary steps to live life on purpose, and avoid distraction. Those steps include stepping back, clearing distractions and simplifying. All of those things lead to great clarity when starting or finishing a new project.
You’ll especially like that there is a free version and a “full” version, with lots of extras.
The full version comes with useful guides:
- Email Fast Guide
- Decluttering Quickstart
- Habit Change Guide
If your New Year’s Resolution is to be more focused, check out these books. When was the last time you lost yourself in a creative project? What are you working on right now?
Hi Courtney!
I appreciate you sharing these resources! I have Leo’s book and it has been a great help, but like you I have several projects I am working on and knowing how to get them all progressing along is a little crazy! I am not seeing a link for Dan Goodwin in your post, but I looked him up and found it here http://coachcreative.com/abigcreativeyes/ just in case others want to visit! Good luck with your upcoming projects and I can’t wait to see your e-book!
Bernice
There is a God and it isn’t me
Bernice, The link to Dan’s book is in the header with his book title, “How to Get Focused and Create What Matters”. I just added a few more incase that wasn’t clear. Thanks for pointing that out.
I’ve gone back and forth with this for years. Doing too much, getting focused, overextending myself, redefining my goals, too much at once, narrow and refine. I suppose it is a rather organic process for those of us who are rather passionate about a few things. While I admire those who remain focused on one task (or at least the idea of someone who could), I’m not sure I know many who do for very long. I’d like to spend more time with a narrower focus though than with broadening ideas and projects. I’ve been heading toward a period of overextension for a time now and while it hasn’t gotten completely out of control just yet, I can feel that if I don’t narrow and refine, I’m going to get lost as I did years past.
My current projects/jobs:
1. therapist at inpatient children’s psyc hospital
2. teach Pilates full-time (and LOVE it)
3. One Dress Protest (as a personal venture and blog)
4. starting a Pilates certification this Spring/Summer (a major challenge and endeavor)
And this is my commitment to myself to take on ZERO more things. No subbing ballet classes. No speaking at Tuesday night prayer. No mentoring any more Pilates teachers (not in my program). And that is okay. Because not only am I very invested and interested in what I’m already doing–I respect myself enough to cap it at what already could be too much.
Thank you for providing the opportunity to write this out and clarify for myself.
Ps. Excited to hear about your two sort-of-secret projects.
Kristy,
We need to set up a skype session soon! I will email you back by the weekend. I laugh when you talk about taking on ZERO more things. I seem to be making that promise to my family quite often. “Ok, NO MORE new projects!” But then, something crosses my mind and I have to follow.
Yes we do! And do you laugh because you know deep inside that it is impossible? Ha. If so, I laugh (in fear).
Ohhhhhhh, funny. I stopped to read this post in the middle of writing an article because I saw you tweet about it – which, you know, I shouldn’t have even SEEN if I was focused on the article.
Miss Britt, You make me smile!
Wow..if there is any one thing I needed to read today…this was it. I am in the midest of 3 mindful peace projects and refocusing on my yoga lifestyle teaching. There have been times in the last week were I have had to take a step back from the all I am trying to create. It’s so wonderful to know all of you who are inspiring and shifting the way we look at our time and ultimately how we utilize our precious lives.
Thanks Courtney!
p.s. I love this community of people!
Andrea – Glad this post helped. I love this community too. xoxo
Courtney –
Great to read about what you are involved in and supporting. I think that books like these are aimed at a certain audience, but still are strong enough to capture a wider audience than they were intended for, and that just speaks volumes about their reach.
Thanks for the recommendations and what you have coming in the future!
Good point Justin. Both books could be for corporate business types, artists, homemakers, or anyone interested in being more focused and effective.
I’m constantly thinking about how to find more time to quilt. But I use up an inordinant amount of time (I hesitate to use the word “waste” because I don’t consider things like, uh, reading THIS blog to be a waste of time) reading blogs, which takes up time I could be spending with my sewing machine. So “focus” is definitely an issue with me.
I hope if you ever consider this blog a waste of your time, you will let me know why.
I know what you mean though about being distracted with other things that are important. I generally set aside a certain amount of time for blog reading so I can spend time with my favorite authors and not feel like I am being taken away from something else. That said, when I am writing, or doing something else “on purpose”, I don’t check in on blogs, even when I love them. (but look forward to reading them at the right time for me.)
Courtney, I can assure you that unless you drastically change direction, your blog will ALWAYS be required reading for me! It has helped me focus on a lot of other important things. I know I need to get my blog reading time under better control. I keep finding new ones but I finally decided that I can’t start reading a new one unless I stop reading an older one. That thought is actually helping me to focus, and consider taking some blogs off my blogroll that I NEVER thought I would stop reading. (not yours!)
Courtney,
Thanks so much for the mention here, I’m honoured to be in such company as you and Leo. 🙂
One thing I’d add is that when I was writing a book about focus, it really helped me get focused!
If there’s something you’re struggling a little with yourself, tackling it head on by writing or creating a project around it can really be valuable in getting down to the basics and reminding yourself what works for you (because there will be plenty that does work), and will work for others too.
With a lot of our blocks and obstacles to creating, once we shine the spotlight on them, break them down and see them as they are, they’re so much less scary and intimidating than that monster in the shadows we’d been cowering in fear from for too long, because we couldn’t see it.
Thanks again,
Dan
This is a very interesting post. I think that I am a little all over the place because there is so much that I want to do. I feel like I’m interested in everything. I’m trying to sort the authentic interest and the striving interest. Hopefully, that will keep me focused. Last year, I had to drop out of a lot of things because I overextended myself. So, I really want to keep an on my projects and commitments this year.
Thanks for these recommendations Courtney, I’m gonna check them out because they really look like they’ll be worth it.
Hope you’re well 🙂
Stuart Let me know if you do and find them helpful.
I’ve read “Focus” and it’s a great book. I recommended it to anyone like me who needs help not jumping from task to task.
Focus is such an important ingredient to doing something well. We often overlook the fact that, after years of being told to multi task, if we don’t focus fully on important things then they never actually get completed.
I am always starting something, then not finishing, before I move on to the next thing. I need to stop, breathe and be mindful of each moment.
As Leo says in his book “Life as a whole is better if you go slowly, and take the time to savor it, appreciate every moment. That’s the simplest reason to slow down.”
Amen to ALL of that.
Hello
I have written “FOCUS” on my whiteboard at the office, and it’s also the key word for my personal life this year. I usually have many good resolutions at the beginning of the new year but this year this word FOCUS is enough. First because I’m not fooling myself, one year is what it takes, at least, to really improve one’s focusing capacity. And it’s important enough to be the only main goal of the year. For it is connected to everypart of one’s life. If I focus more on my work, I’ll do it quicker and better. If I focus on the clothes I love most, I declutter my bedroom. If I focus on the things I really need, I will save money, and then have money aside for things I deeply desire, like travelling.
I feel it’s the right path to inner space and peace.
Thanks Courtney for your enthusiasm and honesty
-Mathilde (now back to work!)
Mathilde, I love your very focused approach to focus!
my current project is the 333 project thanks to you. i’ve been wearing my 33 things for the last 3 months and loving it. it has helped me define my style big time and i’m so grateful for that. i’ve been cleaning out and hauling since i found out the project is extended now. thanks for the amazing inspiration.
xo
janet