It happened again! I was doing a simple Google search to find a quote by Grant Cardone for our bi-monthly company-wide sales meeting. All of a sudden, I was suckered into clicking a link to Facebook to find the quote posted on Grant’s page. Of course, it took me a while to get oriented on Facebook. First, I had to check my profile, then I had to look at some pictures of my kids from our last vacation, then I almost found the quote I needed. But I got distracted by a link about how to maximize vacation rental income and started looking at photos of different properties for sale on the beach in Central America.
Forty-five minutes later, somehow I was browsing photos of childhood friends from grade school and their kids, until my conscious brain finally kicked in and I realized, Did I just burn 45 minutes of my life looking for one quote? They got me, they sucked me into the rabbit hole again! The rabbit hole that is social media and its ability to enthrall you and pull you into the void and never let go.
What was supposed to be 45 minutes of real work, getting prepared for our sales meeting, just got shot into the wind and donated to Mark Zuckerberg.
In today's fast-paced and hyper-connected world, entrepreneurs face a constant battle for their attention. Distractions lurk around every corner, vying for precious time and energy. In this article, we will explore the critical ingredients to success in the entrepreneurial game with a focus on the importance of controlling your attention. By mastering the skill of prioritization and honing your ability to focus, you can navigate the turbulent waters of entrepreneurship with greater efficiency, and ultimately, more success.
The Power of Attention Control
At the heart of every successful entrepreneur lies a mastery of attention control. It's not merely about avoiding distractions; it's about identifying and dedicating your time to the highest and best use for your business. To achieve this, consider dividing your tasks into four categories: A, B, C, and D. Understanding the significance of these categories is pivotal for business focus and success:
- A-Tasks: These are the high-impact activities. For a business owner, A-tasks often revolve around making hiring and firing decisions, creating relationships with other contractors, designing marketing campaigns, and conducting strategic planning. These are the tasks that truly move the needle and drive your business forward.
- B-Tasks: B-tasks are important but not as critical as A-tasks. They might involve leading, managing, and holding your executive team accountable. They include things like creating an ad for recruiting, having one-on-one meetings with the key people in your organization, and making sure your numbers are on track for the quarter. While they contribute to your business's success, they don't have the impact of A-tasks.
- C-Tasks: C-tasks are not as critical as A and B tasks, and include activities like holding a group meeting or conducting a training on how to better operate your CRM, updating your to-do list for the day, or delegating responses to customer communications.
- D-Tasks: D-tasks are low-value, repetitive, and can often be delegated or automated. These are the tasks that, if left unchecked, can drain your time and energy without proportionate benefits. These include tasks like sorting mail, paying bills, and setting up meetings to collect on accounts receivable.
Usually one or two times a year, during our off-site quarterly meetings, our management team does an exercise called “Delegate and Elevate.” This involves writing down all of our weekly activities that we conduct throughout our workweeks and then putting them into a four-box matrix of (1) things you love doing, that you’re great at, (2) things you like doing, that you’re good at, (3) things you don’t like doing, that you’re good at, and finally, (4) things you don’t like doing, that you’re not good at.
The purpose is to figure out the things in boxes 3 and 4, the tasks you don’t particularly like doing, that you can delegate to someone else in the organization to do. These are things that suck your time and energy, that most likely, someone else in your business can take over and actually enjoy doing. Maybe you’re better at sales and face-to-face customer interactions, and you can have someone in an administrative role do some of your data entry and responses to emails from customers. Determining what you’re good at and what you enjoy doing is the key because that’s when you can get into a flow state, and work doesn’t even feel like working. It feels like play. Usually, most of these are also A- and B-level activities that drive the business forward. They’re the things you love doing and usually the reason you became an entrepreneur in the first place.
The Art of Prioritization
Controlling your attention means more than just identifying A-tasks. It's about the art of prioritization. Here's how you can effectively prioritize your tasks and maximize your focus:
- Take a nature walk. Disconnect from the digital noise and immerse yourself in nature. This provides a conducive environment for reflection and introspection. Instead of bringing your phone with you, try downgrading your tech and just bring a digital recorder. Or put your phone on airplane mode, so you’re not bombarded by distracting notifications and people demanding your attention.
- Determine value. Once you've identified your daily activities, evaluate their value and impact on your business. Are you spending your time optimally? Are you allocating sufficient time to A-tasks?
- Set clear objectives. Define what you're trying to achieve. As an entrepreneur, you need a clear vision of your business's goals and objectives. Align your tasks with these objectives to ensure that every action is purpose-driven. Is everyone in your management team on the same page? Can you call it out when you get dragged into a C-level activity and not offend someone?
- Prioritize based on impact. Allocate your time and attention to tasks that have the greatest impact on your business's success. Focus on the activities that can generate revenue, attract customers, or improve your products or services. Create a weekly calendar and schedule out at least one or two 4-hour blocks where you can work on higher-impact activities.
The Power of Review and Reflection
Review and reflection are not just luxuries for entrepreneurs; they are essential practices for sustained success. Carving out time for introspection allows you to assess your progress, learn from your experiences, and adapt your strategies accordingly.
- Schedule review sessions. Set aside specific times for reviewing your business's performance. These should be weekly and quarterly rituals. During these sessions, analyze your results, identify areas for improvement, and adjust your strategies. Assign “rocks” or goals to each member of your leadership team and make sure they are on track on a weekly basis. If they’re not, put them on the “Issues List” and discuss how to solve the problem. (In the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), goals are called "Rocks" because they are the most important priorities and goals that need to be completed first, like rocks in a bucket. The term comes from Stephen Covey's 1994 book First Things First, which uses a metaphor to illustrate this idea. In the metaphor, you imagine an empty jar or bucket that you want to fill with water, sand, pebbles, and rocks. The rocks are the biggest items and must be placed in the bucket first, followed by the pebbles, sand, and water. Similarly, in EOS, you start by setting clear priorities, or "Rocks", as a team each quarter. These priorities can be organizational goals, which then inform department goals, which are broken down into individual goals. The idea is that by focusing on the most important tasks first, you can stay on track to achieve your longer-term goals and the vision for your business.
- Learn from mistakes. Instead of dwelling on failures, view them as opportunities for growth. Reflect on what went wrong, extract valuable lessons, and apply them to future endeavors. How can you avoid that major customer complaint that sucked away 10 hours of your time last month? What quality control measures can you put into place? How about an extra communication each week to every customer to check satisfaction with your business?
- Strategically brainstorm. Dedicate time to create innovative ideas and ways to explore new markets, and brainstorm ways to improve your products or services. This creative process can lead to breakthroughs and competitive advantages. A great time for strategic brainstorming is during your nature walks. Bring the ideas you generate to your quarterly meetings and allow the other members of your team to help you develop the idea a little bit more before it’s implemented into the business.
Planning for Success
Success in entrepreneurship doesn't happen by chance. It requires meticulous planning and intentional action. Here's how you can incorporate planning into your entrepreneurial journey:
- Set clear goals. Establish well-defined, achievable goals for your business. These goals act as a compass, guiding your decisions and actions.
- Develop a business plan. Create a comprehensive business plan that outlines your vision, mission, strategies, and financial projections. A solid plan provides a roadmap for your business's growth.
- Create a weekly schedule. Craft a weekly schedule that allocates time for A-tasks, B-tasks, and strategic reflection. Stick to this schedule as closely as possible to maintain focus and consistency. Don’t be afraid to start calling out C- and D-level tasks that you are responsible for. Find ways to delegate tasks that can be handled by others, allowing you to concentrate on high-impact activities. Consider hiring a virtual assistant from overseas, for example, in Nicaragua or the Philippines, to take care of data entry and time-consuming document uploads to your CRM.
Avoiding Information Overload
In today's digital age, information is abundant and easily accessible. However, the incessant flow of information can be overwhelming and counterproductive. Like my example of getting sucked into the void of social media, it’s easy to lose focus and waste time unintentionally. To maintain focus and avoid distractions:
- Carefully select your sources. Select a few trusted sources for information and news related to your industry. Limit your exposure to avoid being inundated with irrelevant or distracting content.
- Schedule information consumption. Allocate specific times in your day for consuming information. Avoid checking emails or social media constantly.
- Practice mindfulness. Cultivate mindfulness and present-moment awareness. Mindfulness techniques can help you stay grounded and focused amidst the noise of the digital world. Meditation is a great way to clear your head and start your brain back at zero to determine, “Is what I’m working on right now what I should be working on?”
Success as an entrepreneur hinges on your ability to control your attention and prioritize your focus effectively. By categorizing tasks into A, B, C, and D, mastering the art of prioritization, and dedicating time to review, reflect, and plan, you can streamline your efforts and optimize your chances of success.
Remember that entrepreneurship is a journey, not a destination. Continuously refining your attention control skills and adapting to changing circumstances are essential for long-term success. With deliberate attention management, planning, and introspection, you can navigate the complexities of the entrepreneurial world with clarity, purpose, and the potential for lasting achievement.
