We’ve been talking all week about staying focused, even when it feels like our efforts aren’t producing big breakthroughs. As I was thinking about this, I came across an interview with Nir Eyal. He wrote a book about becoming indistractable. Here’s what he says: All distractions have an internal trigger — a feeling that underpins…
I have a love-hate relationship with my calendar. When my calendar works well, it tells me where I should be and what I should be doing. Unfortunately, I’m terrible at filling in calendar appointments correctly. I’m always setting them up for AM when they should be PM or putting them on the wrong day or…
As a creative agency owner, you get busy, right? I mean, it goes with the territory, doesn’t it? But if you don’t learn how to get out of your own way, your business will never grow, and you’ll always be too busy.
When I was 13, my best friend and I were nuts about Star Wars. We were determined to be at the very first screening of the sequel Empire Strikes Back at the big 70mm Dolby Equipped theater in nearby Cupertino. We arrived at the theater 4 hours before the first show to get in line…
In our last two conversations, we talked about how easy it is to get captivated by our business. So much so that it can be hard to stop working. But even when we do get the chance to take a break, it can be hard to rest. If you’re like me, the challenge of quieting…
In my last email, I talked about how intoxicating it can be to work hard at something you are fully engaged in. Especially when you can see how your extra effort results in quick wins for your business. It feels great. It is so great that I will give up rest, time with my family,…
“No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.” ~ Alan Watts There’s something special about owning your own business. Every additional ounce of effort you put into it directly drives your success. You can see it right at the moment. It’s so intoxicating and invigorating…
When listening to business owners, I often hear them talking about feeling overwhelmed. It can feel like you are juggling a million balls a once, client calls, employee needs, cash flow, business development… But it’s not just business stuff; your son’s birthday is coming up, your car needs an oil change, you haven’t been on…
How many times a day is your work interrupted by questions or problems brought to you by your employees or clients? Take a minute to think about it, how many people walk into your office, or call you, or send you a text, email, or Slack message that interrupts your flow, that you take time to…
Here’s a list of things that I’m moving off my plate focus on making progress on my biggest goals: I’m checking the news only once a day, for 30 minutes. I’m saying no to networking requests. I love meeting people, but I need the calendar space. I’m saying no to “coffee,” even with “business friends.”…