In today’s climate, we know how difficult it can be to stay on task. It seems there are more distractions than ever before. According to statistics, only 16% of people actually achieve their New Years resolutions — and when you add being an entrepreneur to the mix, it can be easy to lose focus when you’re juggling employees, vendors, and customers.
We decided to ask 7 highly successful business pros their top advice for staying focused on goals. Here’s what they shared with us:
Grant Cardone
“I always write my goals down in my 10X Planner, it’s just a journal I keep in my bedroom and I use it each morning and each night. I visualize what I want in the future and where I’m heading, and I write it down. Writing it down twice a day helps me stay focused on them. So my advice to you would be to start writing your goals down and you’ll be amazed at how well you stay focused on them.”
Photo courtesy of GrantCardone.com
Dennis Yu
“Decide on the ONE thing you must get done each day- the most important item, so critical that if you do this and fail everything else, that you’d still consider the day a success.
Write that down on a post it note you put on your laptop screen. Not a virtual post-it, but a real one.
You’ll be surprised how quickly your focus will change to getting that one thing done, instead of all the interruptions and urgent (but unimportant) things that distract you.”
Photo courtesy of Dennis-Yu.com
Deborah Pannell
“Flexibility is going to be most important as you go through the process of achieving your goals. Sure, you need focus and discipline to stay on track, but in these weirdly changing times, you also need to be able to recognize when it’s time to rethink your vision. Sometimes life throws you major curve balls, or the industry you’re working in may undergo massive changes, or perhaps your team breaks up. And sometimes, we just evolve in our thinking and our priorities. Understanding when to double down and when it’s time to back off and re-evaluate is an important skill to develop, so you can make whatever adjustments are necessary and develop a revised plan.”
Photo courtesy of Deborah Pannell on LinkedIn
Neil Patel
“Don’t let yourself veer off the course that you’ve mapped out. You have a limited amount of time. Don’t ruin the schedule. Take your schedule, allow it guide you, and you’ll be able to accomplish more.”
Photo courtesy of NeilPatel.com
Mourad Tellab 
“I’d say the key thing for me to stay focused on my goals is to hack my psychology. As Mel Robbins puts it: “Motivation is garbage, it’s never here when you need it.” So instead, I focus on building discipline. Because this is something I can control, emotions, however, will always fluctuate. (Yes, I’m kind of a stoic guy, I have to admit). Lastly, I’ll say no man is an island. Get a mastermind group of people who will hold you accountable and kick yourself into gear when needed.”
Photo courtesy of modernmoneyninja.com
Ben Settle
“Top advice for staying focused is to find a Mission.
If you have a Mission — something you wake up thinking about, sweat & bleed over during the day, tell “war stories” about to others because you can’t help it, and fall asleep thinking about. You won’t need to worry about focus. You won’t need an accountability group or partner. And you won’t need to motivate yourself — because it will motivate you. Neediness, boredom, and procrastination disappear when you have a Mission.”
Photo courtesy of BenSettle.com
John Boitnott
“Make sure to spend time learning and growing with quality mentors and colleagues. I would recommend spending at least part of a day every couple weeks with someone you consider very accomplished in your field. This will deliver insight into how smart people approach similar problems, and help you focus on realistic goal setting.”
Photo courtesy of jboitnott.com
It is not uncommon for entrepreneurs to become overwhelmed and lose sight of what they are truly trying to accomplish. Implementing the advice above into your daily routine can make all the difference. Start small, and stay focused.
How do you stay focused on your goals? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!