The Fortitude Chronicle: A Weekly Digest of Athletic Determination

Monday’s Mindset

How Obsession Beats Balance: Starve Your Distractions

In a world teeming with distractions and endless possibilities, the mantra "Starve your distractions, have no plan B" emerges as a powerful guiding principle for those seeking extraordinary achievement. This isn't about being narrow-minded or inflexible; it's about harnessing the full force of your finite resources—time and energy—and channeling them with laser-like precision towards your most vital objectives.

The notion that "How you do anything is how you do everything" is, quite frankly, bullshit. It's a feel-good platitude that ignores the reality of human nature and the necessity of prioritization. We are not machines designed to operate at peak efficiency across all domains of life. We are complex beings with limited reserves, and the key to success lies in being ruthlessly selective about where we invest our precious resources.

Consider the lives of history's greatest achievers. Did Leonardo da Vinci meticulously organize his sock drawer? Did Marie Curie obsess over having a picture-perfect Instagram feed? Of course not. They understood, perhaps intuitively, that greatness demands sacrifice. They starved their distractions and poured their energy into their passions with an intensity that left no room for Plan B.

This approach isn't about neglecting other aspects of life; it's about making intentional choices. Every decision, every allocation of time and energy, should align precisely with your ultimate goals. This doesn't mean you can't be well-rounded, but it does mean being strategic about how you cultivate that roundness. Maybe you choose to read widely because it fuels your creativity in your chosen field. Perhaps you maintain physical fitness because it sharpens your mental acuity for your primary pursuit. The key is that these choices are deliberate, not default.

Embracing this mindset requires a fundamental shift in how we view our daily lives. It means learning to say "no" not just to obvious distractions, but to good opportunities that aren't great ones. It means being comfortable with letting certain areas of life be "good enough" so that others can be exceptional. It's about understanding that every "yes" to something that doesn't serve your primary goal is a "no" to something that does.

This approach demands courage. Having no Plan B isn't about being reckless; it's about committing so fully to Plan A that failure becomes inconceivable. It's about burning the boats upon reaching the shore, leaving no option but to conquer or die trying. This level of commitment is what separates the extraordinary from the merely good.

But let's be clear: this isn't a call for joyless obsession. Joy, in fact, should be a crucial part of the equation. The goals you choose to pursue with such single-minded focus should be those that ignite your passion, that make the hard work feel worthwhile. If you're not finding joy in the pursuit, you're either chasing the wrong goal or approaching it the wrong way.

In practice, this might look like:

1. Ruthlessly auditing your time. Where are you leaking energy to activities that don't serve your primary goals?

2. Setting clear, non-negotiable boundaries. This might mean turning off notifications, scheduling specific times for email, or learning to politely but firmly decline invitations that don't align with your priorities.

3. Cultivating deep work habits. Train yourself to focus intensely for extended periods, free from distractions.

4. Regularly reassessing and recommitting to your goals. Ensure that your day-to-day actions are consistently aligned with your long-term vision.

5. Embracing discomfort. Recognize that the path to extraordinary achievement is often paved with moments of doubt, difficulty, and the temptation to settle for less.

Remember, the goal isn't to live a life of monastic deprivation. It's about being intentional with your finite resources, channeling them towards what truly matters to you. It's about recognizing that in a world of infinite possibilities, the power lies not in trying to do everything, but in choosing to do a few things exceptionally well.

So, starve your distractions. Have no Plan B. Be unapologetically selective with what gets your time and energy. Because in the end, it's not about how you do everything—it's about how extraordinarily you do the things that matter most.

Two Quotes

1. "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." - Thomas A. Edison

2. "I hated every minute of it [training]. But I said to myself, 'Suffer now, and live the rest of your life as a champion." - Muhammad Al

Three Tweets

To Building Fortitude.

 Best Regards,

Colin Jonov, Founder & CEO Athletic Fortitude