Clarify your Purpose & Focus: 3 Books

If you’re looking to clarify your Purpose & Focus, I suggest reading these 3 books in this order. Deep Work, The One Thing and Essentialism.

Over the next few days, I’m listing the top three books I’ve read that have educated and impacted me across many areas of my life. I suggest reading them in the order below to get the most benefit.

Coming up are:

• Habits
• Starting your Startup
• Venture Capital
• Artificial Intelligence
• Human History and the Future
• Science Fiction
• Thinking Exponentially

Let’s start with Purpose and Focus.

Purpose and Focus

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
by Cal Newport

Many modern knowledge workers now spend most of their brain power battling distraction and interruption, whether because of the incessant pinging of devices, noisy open-plan offices or the difficulty of deciding what deserves your attention the most.

Most of us, after all, are excruciatingly familiar with shallow work instead — distractedly skimming the surface of our workload and never getting to the important part. Newport began exploring the methods and mindset that foster a practice of distraction-free productivity at work, and now, in DEEP WORK, he shows how anyone can achieve this elusive state.

I started with Deep Work to understand how to regain focus in my distracting world of technology, bright shiny things and people. I have come to value long blocks of time to think and then do vs reacting to the busyness trap.

Once I had more time, which this discipline creates , I started wondering what I’m doing and if what I’m busy with is valuable to me and those around me.

The One Thing: The surprisingly simple truth behind extraordinary results by Gary Keller

YOU WANT LESS.

You want fewer distractions and less on your plate. The daily barrage of e-mails, texts, tweets, messages, and meetings distract you and stress you out. The simultaneous demands of work and family are taking a toll. And what’s the cost? Second-rate work, missed deadlines, smaller pay cheques, fewer promotions-and lots of stress.

AND YOU WANT MORE.

You want more productivity from your work. More income for a better lifestyle. You want more satisfaction from life, and more time for yourself, your family, and your friends.

NOW YOU CAN HAVE BOTH-LESS AND MORE.

After reading this book I spent two days working through my One Thing. It’s hard to really drill down into what you really want to achieve and the impact you would like to make on the world. This is one of those books that you need to action, not only read. I did and it’s kept me really focused over the last 6 months.

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

Have you ever found yourself struggling with information overload? Have you ever felt both overworked and underutilized? Do you ever feel busy but not productive? If you answered yes to any of these, the way out is to become an Essentialist.

This book helped me refocus on doing Less, but Better. I find it too easy to get busy with lots of good opportunities which takes my focus away from the great ones. It’s about choosing what I do each day versus someone else choosing for me.

Coming up next are the top 3 books on Habits.