An Entrepreneur’s Obsession & Focus
There are times in life and business when you have to go all in. This past Sunday was one of those days for me. I told my wife, “I’m laser-focused today. Don’t expect much from me because this is where I need to be.” She understands that I’m not like this all the time, but there are seasons when it’s time to hunt—time to go after what needs to be done. It’s not a time for distractions like watching movies or playing sports. It’s hunting season.
But this isn’t just about working hard; it’s about building a legacy. I think about Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dadand how that book changed my life. Right now, I have an opportunity to take my shot, and I want you to see that.
My wife had asked me when I’d be home. “Two or three?” she wondered. I told her I didn’t know. I ended up at Black Rock Coffee for almost seven hours, running through three iced coffees, fully immersed in my work. I wasn’t just casually productive—I was locked in.
I want to be clear: I’m not like this all the time, but there are times when we need to be. It’s not about neglecting important things like faith, family, or health, but rather understanding that there are moments when obsession is necessary. After my long work session, I still came home, had dinner with my family, hung out with my son, and even watched a little home movie. But then, I got right back to work until midnight.
This idea of “balance”—throw it out the window. Nobody creates anything great by living in perfect balance. That’s not how the world was designed. We don’t neglect the core areas of life, but when it comes to business, there are times when you have to get hyper-focused, even obsessed. It’s the only way to gain traction and leverage. Business is too hard to succeed without that level of intensity. That’s why 8 or 9 out of 10 businesses fail—because the people running them aren’t willing to get obsessed enough.
And this is why loving what you do is so important. I was in the zone on Sunday, not because I had to be, but because I wanted to be. Would I have preferred to relax, go to church with my family, play basketball, barbecue, and watch a movie? Sure. And I’ll do that next week. But right now, it’s hunting season. Right now, I’m focused on building something bigger than myself.
When stress and pressure hit, many people back off. But we can’t do that. Marcus Aurelius said, The impediment is the way. The obstacle is the way. The very thing we fear or resist is often exactly what we need to push through. If you’re not seeing the results you want, it’s time to get obsessed. Block out distractions. Get hyper-focused. That’s when things start clicking, and you begin figuring things out.
This morning, during my reading time, I came across a story in The Game of Life. It reminded me of How to Win Friends and Influence People and Think and Grow Rich—one of those classic, century-old books. The story was about a woman who had an intense fear of walking under ladders because she believed it brought bad luck. She was encouraged to confront her fear, and finally, one day, she decided to do it. But when she got to the spot where the ladder had been, it was gone. The obstacle that had been holding her back wasn’t even there anymore. Her fear had created the obstacle, and once she decided to push through, it disappeared.
That’s how life works. When you commit, when you go all in—whether that means working around the clock, sacrificing sleep, or overcoming fear—things begin to shift. Last night, I worked until 1:30 AM, got up at 6 AM, hit snooze a couple of times, and then got back at it. The “ladder”—the thing holding me back—was gone.
I encourage you to get obsessed at times—not all the time, because you don’t want to burn down your relationships, your faith, or your health. I’ve been there, and I’ve almost done that multiple times. That’s why I make sure to integrate my faith, family, and fitness into my life. I even squeezed in a quick workout—a five-minute session with 100 sit-ups, five rounds of five pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 air squats. I didn’t neglect my priorities, but I also didn’t let up on my mission.
I feel good about what I accomplished, and while the work isn’t done yet—I still have to deliver on Friday and Saturday—the groundwork has been laid. And that’s the key: lay the groundwork. Get obsessed. Go all in. And watch things start to move in your favor.
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