- Michael Hyatt
- Michael Hyatt on Twitter
- Michael Hyatt on Facebook
- Michael Hyatt on YouTube
- Free to Focus
- Lead to Win Podcast
- Ruth Soukup
- Ruth Soukup on Instagram
- Living Well Spending Less®
- ruth@ruthsoukup.com
- The Living Well Planner®
- Elite Blog Academy®
- Do It Scared by Ruth Soukup
- Small Business Roadmap
- Living Forward by Michael Hyatt
- Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt
- Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt
- Getting Things Done
- The SCORRE Conference
- StrengthsFinder
- Leadercast
Michael has worked in the corporate world for about 40 years, and focuses on leadership development. When he was 56 years old, he decided to make the leap from being a CEO to venturing out on his own, which he describes as his “do it scared moment.” (So if you’re worried that you’re too old to do it scared because you’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore, take heart!)
The premise of Michael’s Free to Focus concept is a double win: you can win at work and succeed at life. The key is embracing constraints! Michael explains that he very rarely works more than 40 hours a week. He’s been married for 41 years, and still can’t wait to spend time with her. In fact, last year, they took 165 days off (including weekends), and still managed to grow the business by 62 percent. At his office, all the lights turn off 6PM, so he needs to be done! This implementation of constraints, he explains, forces him to be productive (and to not work all the time).
To become free to focus, you need to realize that you don’t have to do everything. There are activities in your life that you suck at, or just don’t like. Instead of dragging yourself through them, either eliminate, automate, or delegate them. The opposite of these things is your desire zone, where passion and proficiency intersect. These are the things you need to focus on.
If that makes sense to you but you’re wondering how to implement it, you’re in for a treat today! Michael will dig deep into this and other productivity tips, and touch on how they can relate to people of different ages with different lifestyles. Don’t miss this powerful and motivational episode with a fantastic guest.
Highlights
[01:41] – Ruth introduces Michael Hyatt, today’s incredible guest.
[04:54] – For listeners who don’t know him, Michael takes a moment to share what he does now and talk about his personal journey.
[06:28] – We hear about Michael’s jump from being the CEO of a company to venturing out on his own.
[08:40] – How did Michael develop the courage to make this jump when he was in his mid-50s?
[10:34] – Michael talks about how the Free to Focus system works, and how it’s different from everything else we’ve heard on the topic of being more productive.
[13:04] – We hear more about how Michael’s system relates to someone in their 20s who feels like they have to hustle more at this point.
[15:07] – Michael gives another example of an activation trigger that he uses in his life. He and Michael then chat about being accountable to a personal trainer.
[19:32] – What is Michael’s best tip for people who feel like they’re constantly being distracted?
[22:16] – Michael lists the three things that he’s good at.
[23:24] – We learn about something that scares Michael that he has had to work to overcome, and how he has learned to overcome it.
[26:52] – Ruth shares a story of her own about having a fear of public speaking.
[30:18] – Michael talks about one of the biggest mistakes that he’s made in his life, and what he learned from it.
[35:22] – Ruth responds to Michael’s story about his bankruptcy, and Michael talks about how he faced his wife afterward.
[37:51] – Does Michael feel like he’s on the path he’s supposed to be on, or does he look back and wonder how he got here?
[38:45] – Michael talks about his StrengthsFinder results.
[41:48] – What is Michael working on right now that has him really fired up?
[46:39] – Michael describes his avatar as an overwhelmed successful leader.
[48:55] – We learn about some specific things that Michael does to practice self-care at home and in his business.
[51:16] – What does Michael do to protect his confidence?
[53:48] – Michael shares the best piece of advice that he has ever received, and explains why it was so powerful.
[55:40] – Does Michael have any final words of wisdom for listeners? And where can people find him online?
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