STAY FOCUSED on Priority Projects

Do you find yourself losing focus on a priority project? Do you have good intentions but run out of energy, clarity, confidence? Want a way to stay focused on what really matters?

You might want to follow Poet Laureate W.S. Merwin's example. Here's what I mean.

As Executive Director of the Maui Writers Conference, I had an opportunity to spend time with Merwin at our Presenters Reception. Under a full moon shining through the palm trees on a Kapalua beach, I asked, "What is an important lesson-learned from your career?”

I'm paraphrasing here because I did not write down what he said (that’ll teach me), however the gist of his remarks was choosing to concentrate on his craft was the best decision he ever made on behalf of his career.

As the winner of a Pulitzer Prize, Merwin received dozens of invitations every week. He realized it would be oh-so easy to become part of the “glitterati” and that his work would suffer if he said yes to every request. He and his wife Paula were clear that living in NYC would mean they would continue to be surrounded by temptations that would pull him away from the work he was born to do. So, they moved to Maui to raise palm trees and live a simpler life where he was freer to concentrate on his true priorities.

I thought, "There’s a man who knows what is important to him."

I’ve come to believe this is one of the biggest challenges we face as creatives. We are constantly torn between craft and commerce - between making art and making a living.

I've also come to understand that our mindset either helps or hurts us. If we don't consciously hold ourselves accountable for concentrating on our "real work," our projects may never get out the door. It is up to us to be more discerning, to take charge of our circumstances so, like Merwin, we produce results, not regrets.

Are you taking your creative contribution seriously? if you believe your work will add value, it's up to you to devote yourself to it instead of allowing yourself to waste time on lesser activities that, at the end of the day, won’t contribute to the greater good.

You may be thinking, “I agree with this in theory, but it’s tough to do in practice.”

Agreed. Which is it is so important to establish clear boundaries on what you will and won't focus on. Here are a few best-practice tips on how to stay focused on what will matter most. Hope they help you finish your projects and get them out in the world where they can make a positive difference for others and a prosperous living for you.

1. Reduce time on social media. Many people admit they are addicted to their digital devices. To what purpose? How much time do you spend online every day? When you look back at the end of your life, will those thousands of hours have made an enduring difference? Commit right now to social media policies that have metrics so you can hold yourself accountable for them. For example, check social media only AFTER you finish a blog or 5 pages instead of all day, every day. A study by MIT reveals we check our phone 140+ times a day. What a misuse of time that could and should be spent on completing and publishing higher-priority work that will add value and have positive impact.

2. Wake and Work. Wake and Work means exactly what you think it means. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200. Get up, grab your cup of coffee or tea, sit down and apply what Power of One author Bryce Courtenay called, "Bum glue." Tackle other tasks only after you have produced something tangible to show for your efforts. The Psychology of Complettion says we get a boost in self esteem every time we finish something. And, as you know, rewarded behavior gets repeated. So, if every time you sit down to write, you complete two new pages, you set up flow and forward momentum and feel you're making progress. This feeling of achievement will make you eager to come back and pick up where you left off.

3. Find your Third Place. The science of Ergonomics (the study of how our environment influences our effectiveness) says your home is your First Place and your office is your Second Place. If you work on your creative project at your home/office, that’s your First and Second Place. Ergonomic experts say it’s almost impossible to stay focused on creative projects in your First and Second Place because your environment keeps reminding you of the laundry, bills, client business or household chores you customarily do in that space.

Your Third Place (a nearby coffee shop? local library?) is a public place where you can work in private. Working there kick-starts creativity because it 1) it socializes your work process but without the downside of being constantly interrupted by people asking you to cook dinner or find their backpack. 2) Instead of stalling because you're operating in isolation, you get to piggy-back off the energy of people in the room.

4. Does the name Pavlov ring a bell? If working on your creative project is the only thing you do in your Third Place, it sets up a repeat ritual where the faucet of flow opens up every time you work there because THAT's what's associated with that environment. Many clients tell me their Third Place is their saving grace. It is the only time they can escape their job/family responsibilities and make their creative priority their top priority.

5. Put boundaries around your accessibility. Are people constantly asking to pick your brain? Do you find it difficult to say no when someone begs for your advice?

Yes, it's important to give back to our professional community and mentor others. So, go ahead and set aside certain times you are available for public appointments. However, instead of letting someone buying you lunch or a cup of coffee, suggest a walk/talk so at least you're outside getting fit while connecting with and supporting others.

You may worry you will offend people by taking yourself off the grid and limiting availability. Ask yourself, “What is the long-term cost of being available to others 24/7? Am I supporting everyone else’s priorities at the cost of my own?

As creatives, it is our responsibility to "Pablo Picasso" our work. He said, "The purpose of life is to find our gifts, the meaning is to give them away."

I am not suggesting you become an anti-social recluse. W.S. Merwin wasn't a hermit; he was simply selective about his public accessibility. He balanced requests for his time and mind with his dedication to his poetry, which kept the light on in his eyes and kept him contributing at his highest level.

How about you?

It's not too late to clarity what will matter in the long run - and to use these steps to stay focused on it. It's only too late if you don't start now.

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Sam Horn is CEO of the Intrigue Agency. Her 3 TEDx talks and 9 books have been featured in?NY Times, on NPR and presented to NASA, Boeing, Fidelity, Cisco, Intel, YPO.