Design focus & cut through the noise.

Everyone is buried in noise and one of the most critical skills we now need is our ability to eliminate it, to synthesise it, and to connect the dots through it.

We live in a world addicted to “more.” There are more goals, tasks, notifications, expectations, and plates spinning at any one go. As we head into the start of 2025, I am sure this list is not getting less.

The author Greg McKeown puts it brilliantly:

“If you don’t prioritise your life, someone else will.”

Think about it like this- every time you say yes to something unimportant, you say no to something vital. A trade-off. This is the deafening nature of the noise. We don’t hear the signal in the noise and then everything just seems equally important.

Let’s talk about priorities. Or rather, the misuse of the word.

Did you know that the word “priority” was singular for hundreds of years? It meant “the very first thing.” You can’t have 10 “first things.” When we say we have “multiple priorities,” we’ve already lost the game.

We don’t have unlimited time to do the important things in life. John Maxwell puts it best:

“You cannot overestimate the unimportance of practically everything.”

Yet, focusing on one thing is desperately hard.

Choosing one thing means letting go of everything else. That’s scary.

We sit there turning every decision into a Rubik’s Cube. What if it’s the wrong move? What if there’s a better option? So you analyse. Then reanalyse. And nothing happens. The worst part, we rarely even take notice. This is why narrowing our focus to one priority is a superpower. It creates momentum. It creates clarity. It simplifies your decision-making. And the paradox is this: by saying no to 90% of distractions, you amplify the 10% that truly matters. You turn scattered effort into concentrated progress. You trade busyness for results.

The question is less about “what can I do?” ?and more “what must I do?”

How to Start

1. Ask the Big Question: If you could only accomplish one thing today, what would move the needle the most? Not what’s easiest, not what’s urgent—but what’s truly important. Write it down. That’s your priority.

2. Eliminate Competing Goals: Trying to pursue too many things at once divides your energy. Focus on one key outcome at a time, even if it means slowing down other areas temporarily.

3. Guard Your Focus: Distractions are everywhere. Turn off notifications. Set boundaries. Make your work environment boring if you must. Remember, every interruption pulls you off course.

4. Be Ruthless with Your Time: Treat your priority like a sacred appointment and hold yourself accountable. No excuses, no delays. If you wait for the “perfect time,” you’ll wait forever.

German design engineer, Dieter Rams, famous for the book 10 Design Principles, summarised the challenge and better yet, provided the solution for us years ago.

He simply said, “Less but better.”.