How to Unlock Hyperfocus
(the 10 rules I used to turn ADHD into a superpower)
For decades I waged war with my ADHD brain…
Trying desperately to tap into this potential greatness I felt brewing inside.
But somehow, I always came up short.
I just couldn’t focus long enough to make meaningful progress towards my goals.
But I took a weird comfort in knowing it wasn’t really my fault…
It was my ADHD.
I bought into this lie for 28 years…
Right up until the moment my fiance decided she couldn’t handle my unreliability and inconsistency anymore… and she kicked me out.
Suddenly I found myself living in a van in downtown Oakland.
(and this was before glamping was cool)
Welcome to rock bottom.
From that low place, I knew I had to make a change.
So I went on a quest to master my biology.
I’ll save you the details of how I got there, but eventually I discovered how to turn my ADHD into a superpower.
Since then I’ve built a few successful businesses, published a bunch of bestselling books, and bought a bunch of real estate.
And I think you an do the same.
(turn your ability to focus into a superpower, that is)
Here’s how:
The 10 Rules of Hyperfocus
1. Time is NOT Your Most Valuable Asset
Worse yet, your Time actually has ZERO value. To anyone.
If it did, you could just show up and pass out.
No, you’re paid for your presence…
And how present you are is a matter of how focused you are.
Focus is your most valuable asset.
2. Observe Your Focus-Leaks
“That which gets measured, gets managed.”
The first step in mastering your focus is in understanding how it’s being stolen from you.
Conduct a Focus Audit by recording what you did at the top of every hour for a week.
Review and identify points of leverage.
3. Energy Fuels Focus
It’s simple:
No Energy = No Focus
Here are the 3 Levers of Energy you have the ability to pull:
1. Sleep 2. Exercise 3. Nutrition
4. Close Cognitive Loops
You can only juggle so many thoughts at a time before you start forgetting things.
The best way to close open cognitive loops and lessen the load on your mental bandwidth is to create a Second Brain.
This is a place to record & retain all the thoughts flitting tthrough your head.,
Now your squishy brain is free to release that thought/idea.
No more needless perseverating.
Your Second Brain then serves as the foundation for all your weekly to-dos and projects.
5. Always Set Clear Priorities
“There is no greater waste than to do with excellence that which shouldn’t be done at all.”
Don’t waste time doing stupid shit.
Create a Priority Management system.
I’ll drop a resource on how to do this below.
6. Stop Setting Goals
Goals are just ideas.
And ideas are worthless without execution.
Goals are for Losers. Winners use Systems.
Studies show setting an Implementation Intention is the best system.
• What are you going to do? • When are you going to do it?
Now, put it on the calendar.
Remember:
Either you own your schedule… Or your schedule owns you.
There is no third option.
The way you own your schedule is by Time Blocking your day.
7. The Power of Intention
Your brain is a miracle.
It’s also lazy.
It’s job is to keep you alive while using as little energy as possible.
Generally that means it wants to zone out, eat sweets, and scroll social media.
Here’s how you win the battle against your lazy-brain.
Create an Intention Maintenance Strategy like this:
Program a random alert to go off on your phone 4x per day.
When the alarm goes off, ask yourself the question:
What’s my outcome?
If you keep doing what you’re doing in that moment, what’s the most likely result you can expect?
This pattern interrupt is powerful.
It provides a moment of insight…
An opportunty to reassess what you’re doing, and why…
And then an opportunity to reapply yourself with intention.
8. Lift Mental Weights Everyday
Focus is a muscle.
And like all muscles, to strengtheen it, you must stress it.
Cultivating a Thinking Time practice is like mental weightlifting.
It’ll both increase the clarity of your thoughts AND quality of your focus.
Common Thinking Time practices include:
- Journaling
- Meditation
- Nature Walks
- Long Showers
9. Optimize Your Environment
Focus is simply the ability to resist distractions.
The best way to resist distractions is to avoid them altogether.
Designing your work environment with intention is one of the simplest ways to get and stay “in the zone”.
10. Focus Ritual
No all-star athlete steps onto the field without performing a warm-up routine.
Don’t step onto the Field of Focus until you’ve done the same.
My Ritual:
- Clear Desk
- Set Timer
- Light Candle
- Noise Canceling Headphones
- Turn on brain.fm
- Go!
Want to dive even deeper? Check out this video:
Stay Hyperfocused, My Friend.
AV
