Self-leadership involves developing a fierce focus to achieve what you want. When I say fierce focus, I mean fierce. People who shine with self-leadership have blocked off times, daily or weekly, to do nothing but focus on what they want and how they are going to get it. They guard this time with everything they have. Folks, everyone and everything around you competes for your time. It must be guarded. During your focus time, consider yourself at war with nasty time suckers. Turn off the cell phone and instant messages. Put up the do not disturb sign and get to work. Consider any interruption in your focus time to be an interruption that is literally taking away your ability to achieve what you want.
Never underestimate the power of focus. Get clear, get focused, and take action. Develop the same kind of focus that you would need if you were attempting to get your head out of water when held beneath the surface. The kind of focus a gazelle has when running from a cheetah. The kind of focus a starving pit bull has when going after a T-bone steak. The kind of focus a pig has when holding on to his bacon. If you want to get what you want, you must focus on it. To be a person of great self-leadership, remember that successful people do what unsuccessful people don’t.