Hi Reader,

I hope you enjoyed the shorter week that's now behind us as we celebrated America's 250th Birthday. I'm afraid that welcome break is now over.

Over the last several weeks, we've been looking at focus from several different angles because I believe focus is becoming one of the defining leadership skills of our time.

Why? Because in a world of endless attractions — I need to figure out what I'm having for dinner tonight — AND distractions — I need to get rid of these email notifications — we're fighting that battle all the time.

In an earlier newsletter, I referred to the time I took flying lessons which may have been the most focused I've ever been – so concerned as I was that the plane might fall from the sky.

I also remember another incident that qualified – the summer space between college years – when I was driving to my summer job about 20 miles away with two of my high school buddies.

I was driving on the interstate between towns in my Dad's 1960 Red Rambler (somehow it had become a member of the family) - when the steering wheel came off in my hands.

At 65-70 mph – with the steering wheel no longer connected to the car!

My first thought is unprintable. My second thought was - the end of the road is nigh - laced with - this can't be happening– we're too damn young.

What I saw ahead was even scarier - a huge concrete overpass and abutment typical of Michigan highways.

If had known back then of Carrie Underwood's hit song, Jesus Take the Wheel, I would have been singing it at the top of my lungs! (At that point, I think he already HAD the wheel and I was only a passenger.)

Luckily, I realized – likely from riding with my Dad over the years – that most importantly, I needed to slow down somehow. I started lightly pumping the brakes – tapping them quickly but lightly so the car slowed but didn't spin out of control.

And, the man at the wheel did an exemplary job since to our amazement, the car slowly pulled to the right side of the highway - almost perfectly parallel to the highway – and just before the concrete abutment would have met us face on.

To a passerby, it would have looked like I pulled over to the side of the road for something, carefully parking alongside the highway.

That's focus. Or fear. Or prayer. Something. But for those few moments, I can assure you not a single other thought entered my brain.

I don't recommend waiting until your steering wheel is in your hands to discover what real focus feels like.

Flying a plane. Conducting an orchestra. Giving a speech. They all demand focus.

But at their core, these activities are single-focus events — yes, with moving parts within — but rarely sabotaged by outside distractions.

So, how do you capture that level of focus when you're not immersed in some consuming events or fear hasn't kidnapped your attention?

That's the challenge most of us face every day – not surviving a crisis but surviving an ordinary Monday.

How do you stay focused — when your day is full of many disparate activities — hosting or attending meetings — making phone calls — responding to emails — and the list goes on?

I've already discussed some ways to stop the death of a thousand cuts by protecting your castle and territory.

On Wednesday, I'll share eight practical ideas that will help you gain more focus, get more done and create more time for actual thinking.

P.S. Stallone turns 80 today. In case you missed my recent newsletter celebrating Sylvester Stallone's devotion to fighting with your life — for your life — you can find it here ...