“Focus is about saying no.” — Steve Jobs

If you chase two rabbits, you catch none.

“He who chases two hares catches neither.” — Desiderius Erasmus

“Take a simple idea, and take it seriously.” — Charlie Munger

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” — Steve Jobs

“Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.” — Steve Jobs

“In a world where information is abundant and easy to access, the real advantage is knowing where to focus.” — James Clear

“You’re not focused enough unless you’re mourning some of the things you’re saying no to.” — James Clear

“What focus means is saying ‘no’ to something that you believe with every bone in your body is a phenomenal idea. You wake up thinking about it, but you say ‘no’ to it because you’re focusing on something else.” — Jony Ive

“We are kept from our goals not by obstacles but by a clear path to lesser goals.” — Robert Brault

“Develop the habit of letting small bad things happen. If you don’t, you’ll never find time for the life-changing big things, whether important tasks or true peak experiences.” — (Ferriss 2011)

“What we choose to focus on and what we choose to ignore—plays in defining the quality of our life.” — (Newport 2016)

“It is far easier to start something than it is to finish it.” — Amelia Earhart

“Nothing has more strength than dire necessity.” — Euripides

“It’s worth making time to find the things that really stir your soul. That’s what makes you really feel alive. You have to say ‘no’ to other things you’re used to, and do it with all your heart.” — Roy T. Bennett

laser/hyper-focus requires ruthless prioritization

Focus is the art of knowing what to ignore.

A focused fool can accomplish more than a distracted genius.

What you don’t do determines what you can do.

It’s better to have one bird in your hand than a thousand in the woods.

You’d rather have one sharp knife than 1,000 dull ones.

The problem with keeping your options open is that every option requires energy to hold. And a shelf full of maybes is often heavier than a hand holding one yes. Put something down.

Since focus requires saying no, it also means what smart people and strong competitors are saying no to are usually great ideas/opportunities.

• If you’re trying to find your way in an organization, it’s worth thinking about the most focused people around you and asking them about the best idea they’re not working on.
• If you’re a company, it’s worth thinking about what your strongest competition is not doing.
• “When competing against the incumbent, better to focus on what they won’t do rather than what they can’t do.” — Naval Ravikant

The Parable of The Fox and The Hedgehog

“A fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” — Archilochus

• Hedgehogs focus on the big picture. They are decisive. They reduce every problem to one organizing principle.
• Foxes use different approaches for different problems. They are comfortable with nuance. They can live with contradictions.

The single greatest threat to your progress is distractions masquerading as opportunities. They’re a good thing—but they’re not the main thing. Just because you can do it, doesn’t mean you should do it. Get comfortable saying no to the good so you can say yes to the great.

• 📜 Rule: If it doesn’t feel right, it’s not right.
• There are basically two simple questions that cut through the noise on any new opportunity:
  1. Do I want the winning version of this thing?
  2. Am I willing to pay the price to get that winning version?

Being indistractable is superpower