Bhrett McCabe
Training Your Focus Muscle
There’s a difference between what you’re capable of and what actually shows up when it counts. Capability is your raw potential—your talent, your preparation, your skillset. But capacity is what you can access under pressure. Focus is what bridges the gap between the two.
Most people think they’re struggling with motivation or discipline. What they’re actually missing is trained focus—the ability to block out distractions, manage the moment, and deliver what they’ve already built. Focus isn’t about effort. It’s about access.
You Don't Have a Focus Problem
You have the tools. What you don’t have is consistent access to them. That’s not a flaw—it’s a training issue. Most people never practice staying locked in when things are uncomfortable, tedious, or stressful. So when the moment demands full attention, they can’t deliver. Not because they lack the capability—but because their capacity isn’t ready.
You can be talented, well-trained, and experienced. But if your ability to focus breaks down under stress, none of that capability translates into performance. Capacity is built on top of capability—but it also filters it. The more you can focus, the more of your potential you actually use.
The Hidden Cost of Scattered Attention
Distraction doesn’t just waste time. It limits access. Every time you split your attention or indulge a distraction, you’re reinforcing shallow focus. You’re teaching your brain that presence is optional. And when your default is scattered, your capacity shrinks—even if your skills are sharp.
Focus isn’t just about avoiding noise. It’s about preserving your access to what you’ve trained. If you can’t do that consistently, your performance will always be limited by the conditions around you. High-level execution requires internal clarity, not just external preparation.
The Workout Plan for Your Mind
If you want more focus, you need to train it like a skill—not hope it shows up when it counts. Here’s a simple routine to build it from the ground up:
1. Choose one task. Something meaningful. Something that requires mental effort. Don’t pick something passive.
2. Set a timer for 15 minutes. That’s it. Short enough to start, long enough to challenge.
3. Remove all noise. Silence your phone, close extra tabs, turn off notifications.
4. Work through the resistance. The urge to check out is the training moment. Recommit. Every time you do, you build control.
5. Log it. Note how many times you lost focus and brought it back. Track the reps like you would in the gym.
This isn’t about doing more. It’s about training your ability to stay locked in when it counts. You can spend years building capability—but if you can’t focus, you won’t access it when the lights are brightest. Focus is what turns potential into performance.
If you want to dig deeper into how focus connects to the idea of capability versus capacity, I explore the full framework in Chapter 11 of The MindSide Manifesto.