Stop managing your time and start managing your focus. A letter for those building something great right now.

Picture this. 

I’m sitting at my desk in the office overlooking Sydney Harbour. I’m early, because I want to spend some time writing my book before the work starts. So I open my laptop and check the time — it’s 8.02am. Great, I have time. I start writing.

The next thing I know it’s 8.48am and I’ve written one line. ONE LINE. What happened?

Without even noticing it, I pulled out my phone with my right hand, unlocked it, opened Instagram from the front page, and started scrolling.

Then I got notified of an email and I replied to it on my phone. It wasn’t until my computer screen went black that I realised I was here to write.

How the hell did that happen?

I went to bed early so I could get up early and write. I wasted that time.

And I thought about it all day.

This was wrong. I had no control over what I wanted to do. It was like someone else was controlling me and my actions. And it meant I could never achieve something as great as being an author.

This was in March. And that hurt.

A lot.

That afternoon after work, I did the unthinkable. I unlocked my phone on my commute home, and as the train rocked me left and right, I deleted Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, LinkedIn, and Outlook.

Everything.

Why Outlook? Because I have a computer for that. I’d rather tackle work emails at work. If there were going to be problems, let them come. My book was too important to me. I HAD to find a way.

And the way I chose wasn’t easy.

For 3 weeks, I still had the same programming. I couldn’t focus. I kept thinking about what’s happening on social media and who’s messaging me. And any time something cool happened, like a nice sunset or my dog doing something silly, I had to restrain myself from wanting to ‘Post’ it online. It was a battle.

Man, it sucked.

But man, it was fucking worth it.

And I want to show you how AND WHY you should do the same. Hint: it’s because I don’t want you to be mediocre. But you have to want it too.

A lot of learning is unlearning. And that’s usually harder.

So this letter will be hard-hitting. I’m not holding back, because writing this gently won’t get the message through.

So fuck it. Let’s go.

Again. Again and again. This message keeps coming up in books, podcasts and from successful people that I know. But when you search online, you won’t find it.

You must learn how to focus. Not how to be productive.

Besides social media, you’ll see millions of views on productivity videos. Millions spent on productivity courses. And millions of blogs written about improving productivity.

It’s a smokescreen.

What we’re doing is fulfilling our need for entertainment and calling it ‘self-improvement’. We’re so used to that excuse that it feels like reality.

Shaving off a second on your emails or trying that new app won’t get you the results you want. It’ll entertain you. It’ll be fun, but has any video you watched on productivity and time management changed your life?

I’ve watched them all. They’ve helped, but none of them told me WHAT to be productive on. I’ve been managing my time better, but for what reason if there’s no focus? It hasn’t helped me get closer to my goals and ideas.

These productivity guys even talk about dopamine detoxing. But at the same time they make the videos so engaging that it hurts. Fast paced music, quick cuts, great lighting, and compelling storytelling make us keep wanting more. How is that a dopamine detox?

So here’s the truth you already know:

Reading this won’t change your life. Doing what I’m suggesting WILL.

And here’s what I’m suggesting:

Take a break. Like you’re taking a break from the Christmas holidays, take a break from all the noise. Do it for 3 weeks.

That’s how long it’ll take for you to regain your focus. There’s no red pill for this. You’re gonna have to do it the hard way. Breaking a lifelong addiction isn’t meant to be easy.

Shhh…if you listen, you can hear your objections coming to the surface:

• But what if I miss my friends’ messages?

• But what if I lose followers?

• But I have family that lives far away that I follow…

• But I need to be on it for my business…

• But what if…?

Take all these ‘what if’ questions and put them to the test. They’re only in your head. We’re talking about action right now. Action isn’t in your head, it’s out in the world. Understand the difference, friend. I know how hard this is, and that is exactly why you must do it.

Remember; there’s no glory in being mediocre.

If you’re still reading this, I expect you’re on the journey to build something great. Something that will change your life, maybe even millions of lives.

Invention and creativity come from action, not distraction.

Focus is a SUPERPOWER.

Only the elite have it now. Everyone else is starving for it. If you want to stop being average, and get average results in your life — this is how you stick out. This is how you build something no one can even think of building. This is how you break through the ceiling that stopped so many people from reaching the top. And all it takes is 2 minutes of action — delete all the social media from your phone.

I promise, you will be happier. Because the relationships you keep will be the relationships that matter. And the work that you do will be exceptional work, because you’ll be the only one in your category. You’ll be the only one who can FOCUS.

Now. Who am I and I why should you listen to me?

I’m a guy on the internet. Not famous. Not well-known. Not rich. Well, let me tell you how this year has turned out for me after switching off from social media in March.

1. I’ve completed 2 drafts of my book

2. I met my annual targets at work in my first quarter

3. I work 4–5 hours per week now, and I make over $210,000 per year.

4. I got married

5. I spent over 15k on books, courses and seminars

6. I started and failed in three small businesses

7. I broke the ‘world’ record for the most pushups in a row at my local gym (72)

I’ve ticked the holy trinity.

Work / money — tick

Relationships — tick

Fitness — tick

Self development — working on it

Last week, I resigned. 

My wife and I are leaving to travel and build something amazing next year. Yes, we’re taking a year off and destroying our savings. And it’ll be great fun.

And none of it would have happened if I hadn’t focused on focus. Even now, this article is over a 1,300 words and I’ve written it in a single sitting at a café in the last 35 minutes.

I had to get this message out to you.

One more time.

Ready?

Decide what you’re going to achieve. Right now.

Pick up your phone now.

Delete the social media icons. Now.

If you did it, email me. I want to thank you. It’s [email protected].

I won’t sell you anything, only support you in your decision. If you’ve listened to me, I’m going to make time for you.

This is the hardest thing you’ve done in a long time. It’s going to be hard over the next three weeks to come back to the real world. You’ll need to fill the ‘empty’ space with something useful — get a good book.

Here are my recommendations:

Fiction –

To Sleep In A Sea Of Stars

Non-fiction –

The 5am Club

The 4-Hour Work Week

Discipline is Destiny

All are easy to read and easy to find. Fill the empty space with something that takes you somewhere.

Or, you could do a course. Here are a few I can vouch for:

Communication skills:

Vinh Jiang

Copywriting / written communication:

Copy That

Presenting / public speaking:

Simon Sinek — The Art Of Presenting

Thank you for reading my semi-rant.

Your friend,

Harry

P.S. If you want to get your friends in on this, forward this email to them.

P.P.S. If there’s enough interest in this — i’ll start a slack channel for people detoxing. And I will help you all get through the hard three weeks. And no, you don’t need to pay for anything. Hearing that you get to break free from mediocrity will make it worth it for me.