Extreme Focus

Jun 11, 2025  –  ⁠,

I didn’t get past the table of contents because I didn’t see anything new. It’s probably an indication that I don’t need to read about the topic anymore.

  • Less is more / seek minimalism
  • Take brief breaks / pomodoro
  • Don’t multitask
  • Be proactive minimizing distractions
  • You should aim for peak performance
  • Obsess
  • Get motivated
  • Eat and exercise appropriately
  • Look for flow state
  • Use habits to your advantage
  • Outsource work
  • Be alone
  • Use “drugs”
  • Standing desks, power naps, change environment, set time limits, distration to-do list

I’ve used everything on that list and it all works. If you’re new to the topic this looks like a handy overview of 20% of effort that might quickly augment your focus.

Connections

  • Habits / brain rewiring: most of these ideas won’t have lasting impact unless you put the effort to “install them” into your brain. Some ways to do this:
    • Tony Robbins’s pain/pleasure + NLP approach (e.g. Personal Power II program)
    • The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
    • Vipassana meditation: to help you become more aware of how you’re reacting to triggers and open the space to choose different reactions / habits.