From New York Times bestselling author Dr. Pedram Shojai comes a revolutionary approach to managing the three most important resources in your time, energy, and money.
Focus isn't just about concentration—it's about creating sustainable systems that allow your life to flow naturally toward success, health, and happiness.
The Life Garden Dr. Shojai introduces the concept of your "Life Garden"—the ecosystem of your time, energy, and money that either supports your growth or drains your vitality. Through his proven 100-day "gong" system, you'll learn to cultivate this garden for maximum abundance and minimum stress.
What You'll ✓ Energy Management that goes beyond time management ✓ The 100-Day Gong System for creating lasting change ✓ Money Flow Principles that reduce financial stress ✓ Attention Training for the distracted modern mind ✓ Sustainable Success Habits that don't lead to burnout ✓ Integration Practices that make it all work together
The 100-Day Transformation * Week-by-week implementation guide * Daily practices that take minutes, not hours * Energy audit tools to identify what's draining you * Money mindset shifts that create abundance * Focus techniques from Taoist meditation * Troubleshooting guide for common obstacles
Why 100 Days? Ancient Taoist tradition recognizes 100 days as the minimum time needed to establish new neural pathways and energy patterns. Dr. Shojai has refined this ancient wisdom with modern behavioral science to create a system that actually sticks.
Perfect * People who start strong but struggle with consistency * Anyone feeling scattered across too many priorities * Entrepreneurs and business leaders seeking sustainable growth * Those who want to improve all areas of life simultaneously * Readers who loved "The Urban Monk" and want a practical system
What Makes This Most productivity books focus on doing more. "Focus" teaches you to do what matters most with the energy you actually have, creating a sustainable flow that supports both success and well-being.
Reader Success "The 100-day system changed everything. I'm more productive AND more peaceful." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Finally, a system that works with my real life, not some fantasy version of it." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.