How to Cut Through the Noise and Focus

hey—

The modern world is built to break your focus.

Every app. Every tab. Every “quick scroll” turns into an hour of watching other people live the life you want.

It’s not just a productivity issue. It’s a psychological war.

Your brain wasn’t wired to hold 27 open loops at the same time. But that’s what we try to do every day.

Constantly switching. Checking. Starting. Quitting. Wondering why we feel scattered and exhausted by noon.

And then—on top of that—we blame ourselves.

“Why can’t I just focus?”

Let’s get one thing straight—it’s not a character flaw, it’s a system glitch.

You don’t fix that by pushing harder. You fix it by designing it better.

Focus Isn’t Force. It’s Set Up.

In the early 2000s, bestselling author Neil Gaiman hit a wall.

Deadlines were closing in. Words weren’t flowing. His creative spark felt like it had burned out.

So he did something most people wouldn’t think of—he left.

He booked a small cabin in the countryside. No phone. No internet. No distractions.

Just a pen, a notebook, and one rule:

“You don’t have to write. But you can’t do anything else.”

At first, it was the ultimate torture—boredom in its purest form.

But soon, something clicked. He started writing. Slowly, then steadily. Then obsessively

The words returned. The stories flowed. The work got done.

Not because he had manufactured more motivation. But because he eliminated the noise.

He didn’t will his way into focus. He designed it.

That’s the difference.

People who consistently follow through aren’t any stronger than you or me. They’re just better at setting up the conditions to win.

They make the right thing easy. And the wrong thing hard.

Here’s how you can do the same:

1. Create A Sacred Window

Pick a time slot where you can protect your energy. Doesn’t matter if it’s 20 minutes or 2 hours. Put it on your calendar like a meeting. Show up to it like it matters—because it does.

(I like morning for my sacred window. It’s easy to protect, and your mind is most clear before the problems of the day hijack your brain.)

2. Cut One Source of Noise

Of course, cutting out noise permanently is the ultimate goal. But let’s start with just during your sacred window for now. Maybe it’s your phone. Your email inbox. The ten open tabs on your browser. Pick one thing that constantly pulls you away, and shut it down. No exceptions.

Make the good things easy and the bad things hard.

3. Build a Startup Ritual

This is where change locks in. Create your own ritual. Make it simple. Specific. Repeatable. Maybe it’s turning on a playlist (lo-fi beats work great). Brewing your coffee. Lighting a candle. Putting on a cozy hoodie. Whatever it is, use it as a cue. Tell your brain, “We’re entering focus mode now.”

It sounds small. But setting up a ritual builds pattern recognition, and recognition creates consistency. And eventually? “Focus Mode” becomes automatic.  

You don’t need to overhaul your life to feel focused again.

You just need to carve out a few minutes of intentional time, protect the space, cut out the noise, and create a rhythm your body can trust.

Even one day of clarity can shift your week.

Let that day be today.

…

— Johnathan (Founder of Striive)