Tuning Out the Static: Ignoring to Improve Focus
"The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook" ~ William James
Do you remember radios that had dials? You had to turn them to tune in a channel. You may do this even now on your car radio. To get the music you want, you turn the dial, searching for the right station. But all you hear is a mix of faint voices, bursts of music, and waves of static. Then, suddenly, there it is. A clear, strong signal. But here’s the thing: you didn’t create the music by tuning in; it was always there. The key was knowing what to ignore.
Focus works the same way. To hear the message that matters, you must filter out the static of random notifications, endless tasks, and constant noise. The challenge isn’t just to choose what to pay attention to—it’s deliberately deciding what to tune out. Ignoring the right things isn’t a passive act; it’s an active skill that sharpens our attention and helps us excel at what truly matters.
Excelerated Focus?: The Power of Knowing What to Ignore
Distractions are the things that you allow to pull you away. If you want to sharpen your focus, don’t just try to do more. Do less. More precisely, ignore more.
Our brains aren’t wired to handle everything at once, yet we often act as if they are. We check notifications while writing, listen to chatter while working, and let every little ping dictate our next move. The result? Scattered attention. Slower progress. Diminished effectiveness.
To master Excelerated Focus?, practice strategic ignoring.
1. Ignore the Nonessential – Not everything that asks for your attention deserves it. Identify what truly moves you toward your goals and let the rest fade into the background. If it doesn’t align, it doesn’t belong.
2. Ignore the Noise – Social media updates, minor inconveniences, the opinions of people who don’t share your vision—these are distractions in disguise. Silence them.
3. Ignore the Urge to Multitask – Multitasking is a myth. Doing many things at once doesn’t make you more productive; it makes you more distracted. Choose one thing. Do it well.
4. Ignore the Inner Critic – That voice in your head telling you that you’re not ready, not good enough, not capable? Ignore it. Shift focus from doubt to action.
By knowing what to ignore, you not only gain time—you gain clarity, momentum, and energy. Like tuning a radio, Excelerated Focus? helps you filter out the noise so you can lock onto the signal that matters most.
What will you ignore today to sharpen your focus? That's how you embrace your Excelerated Life?!
You can have the Excelerated Life? newsletter delivered to your inbox every Thursday.
Receive a free e-book, Excelerate! Living the Excelerated Life 1 Day At A Time, when you sign up today!