Focus: Bringing Time, Energy, and Money into Flow

by Pedram Shojai OMD

A sustainable plan for living your life to its fullest energy potentialIn our unpredictable and continually changing world, we are constantly in a state of figuring out how to sow our seeds for a happy life, which necessitates tending to the needs of our health, career, family and friends, passions, and desires. Unfortunately, time never seems to be on our side, and if anything, often it seems out of our control.But what if it wasn't? What if you had the ability to take control of how you trade your energy for time and to increase your body's "energy budget" to live your fullest life?Pedram Shojai, O.M.D., New York Times best-selling author of The Urban Monk, shares his time-tested system for managing your Life Garden through 100-day gongs. Originating from ancient traditions and with a framework refined throughout Shojai's 15-plus years of coaching, this 100-day system provides a foundation   •  Managing your expectations for your time now versus your time to come  •  Allocating the time you have in order to get more  •  Finding the balance between doing versus being  •  Tapping into your vitality's highest potential  •  Making sure your life aligns with your prioritiesWith detailed guidance and meaningful exercises broken down into doable tasks, you will be able to develop a personalized plan for tending to your Life Garden, understanding its mechanisms so that you can stick to it, and allowing your life's profound meaning and essential nature to flourish with abundance.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Personal Growth

233 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 10, 2020

Reviews

[Alexandria Blaelock · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, I’m not a happy gardener so while I’m resistant to the metaphor, I appreciate the intention.

In principle, working out how your life sucks so you can make out a plan is sound. But seven chapters worth of shitty life?

And when you finally get to the one chapter on planning, the advice is sketchy at best; think about where you want to be in five years, make a plan for ALL five areas of your life and work back to what to do tomorrow. Sounds exhausting.

I’ll stick with focussing on one goal at a time each quarter.

[Prerna Shambhavee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Focus" by Pedram Shojai is an enlightening book that skillfully combines philosophy and practicality, offering readers a profound perspective on life. With a focus on the definition of time and the impact of social media, Shojai delves into the challenges we face in maintaining concentration and purpose in a fast-paced, distracted world.

One of the standout features of the book is Author's ability to present complex concepts in an accessible manner. By incorporating scientific explanations, such as the idea that energy is the currency of life, the author provides a solid foundation for readers to grasp the principles he presents. Shojai seamlessly weaves together philosophical insights with scientific reasoning, creating a comprehensive understanding of the topics explored.

A memorable quote from the book that resonates deeply is, "Focus is a magical thing. It's a superpower that's all but missing in our world today." This encapsulates the central theme of the book, highlighting the importance of focus in navigating the distractions and challenges of modern life. Author explores the science of habits, shedding light on the time required to establish new habits, which takes approximately 90-100 days. This understanding empowers readers to embark on personal growth journeys with realistic expectations.

The author's metaphorical comparisons between different aspects of life and plants are thought-provoking. By likening life to a garden, Author emphasizes the need to tend to different areas of our lives, just as a gardener nurtures different sections of their garden. This perspective invites readers to reflect on their own lives and consider how they can cultivate balance and growth across various domains.

"Focus" successfully intertwines philosophical musings, scientific insights, and practical wisdom. It challenges readers to reevaluate their relationship with time, harness the power of focus, and intentionally shape their lives. Pedram Shojai's ability to blend depth with practicality creates a compelling read that offers both inspiration and actionable steps for personal transformation.

All-in-all, "Focus" is a remarkable book that combines philosophy, science, and practical guidance. Pedram Shojai's ability to present profound concepts in an accessible manner, coupled with insightful metaphors and relatable examples, make this book a valuable resource for those seeking to reclaim their focus and find greater fulfillment in their lives.

[Ruben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Focus was great

[Lisa Reising · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent presentation of how to water our Garden of Life (areas of life without which we will cease to thrive). One of the best things about it is how organized it is, very systematically thought through, and motivational in getting me to think big enough (have some courage), but not be unrealistic. The mental thought exercises were extremely revealing when honestly approached. Why do I let the years fly by without a plan for what I really want to get done? Time to put that in my past.

It is not a large book of ideas, but I took my time to internalize the concepts, practice some things, and really work on getting some weeds pulled. It feels like I wrote my own book while figuring some things out.

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is for the person who choosing to change, improve, gain clarity.

[Dan Carp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very practical guide to living better

This book exceeded my expectations. I’ve read a number of self-help publications, but what makes this stand out is the emphasis it places on physical and mental health and balance.

Making lasting changes in life starts with taking better care of myself and getting my life in order. Only then should I try to tackle a large project or change the world. This comes against a whole slew of books and motivational material that pushes one to work hard, push themselves, lose sleep and give up on various things in life just to pursue their dreams.

Another thing I liked was the pragmatic approach it takes to putting some order into one’s days and priorities. It’s a very good guide that helps clarify what is important, what is not, and how to invest in one but not the other.

Overall, I appreciated the book and highly recommended it for all those who feel they need some order and clarity in their lives.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If your life was a garden and you had five plants - the most important things to you that you needed to water every day... what would they be? The things Pedram Shojai shares in his newest book are not new, but it's the way he brings these topics to your attention. When you answer the questions in all honesty, you are able to identify the weeds in your garden and you know where your focus should be. I read the book in combination with a 21-day free "Focus" course Pedram Shojai offered. This was very helpful.

[Kimberly Salinas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical tool for creating the life you want

This book breaks the big questions down into bite-size pieces so they are easier to understand. It’s an excellent guide on how to make consistent little behavior changes to reach one’s goal(s) over time. Personal values, hard-work, discipline, adaptability, and radical honesty lay the foundation for change. If you are looking for a quick and easy fix, sorry, this is not the book for you.

[Dori Sabourin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life is a Garden

Pedram Shojai outlines life using the
mnemonic of a garden. What are the essentials of a garden: good soil, water, sunshine, a healthy weed free environment? Now picture your life goals including these essentials. The main thing is to take an honest inventory for your eyes only. He walks you through, including tools to help you on your journey.

[suze joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for all ages. It should be required reading in Grade 9 when kids are trying to figure out who they are and why things keep happening. Learning to pull your weeds and water your flowers is an in-depth study with plenty of thought. While pulling your weeds may not be an easy task it's necessary to having a life you will love and appreciate. Thank you Pedram

[Craig Carignan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book, but a lot of it was covered in his prior writings. So for me, it was just a rehash, but valuable nevertheless.

[Bett Correa-Bollhoefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life changing.

[Dmytro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing new

Boring reading and nothing new. Links in the book are broken. I hoped to find something useful for myself but not.

[Zander Betterton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Top 10 books that should have been a blog post.

[leaf · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the premise of the book and the analogy of a life garden. The first half was great, but by the second half the author was just trying to fill up pages for the sake of filling pages. I mean there's several pages that were straight up copy and paste of earlier pages.

[Eric Hannemann · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an OK book. I enjoyed his earlier material. It felt like there wasn’t much support for the direction he wanted to take his readers. I felt talked down to and basically “just do it.” Which is fine for some people, but I’m straight up sensitive and need more support when it comes to making big changes.

[Paul Schmid · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like Atomic Habits you’ll enjoy this one