Picture this: You’re sailing toward the island of online success, the wind at your back, your sails full. You’ve plotted your course—John Thornhill’s Online Success Coaching—and you’re making steady progress.
But suddenly, from the misty waters, come the Sirens. Their voices are sweet, promising things you think you need.
“Just check your email real quick.”
“Someone messaged you—better respond.”
“Hey, there’s a new shiny course you should buy.”
“You’re getting older, maybe take a break and watch some Netflix.”
Before you know it, you’re drifting. Your ship, once heading straight for its destination, is now circling aimlessly.
In Greek mythology, Odysseus had a trick. He knew the Sirens would tempt him, so he tied himself to the mast while his crew stuffed their ears with wax. He couldn’t steer off course even if he wanted to.
As an entrepreneur, you don’t have a mast, but you can create your own constraints to stay on course. Maybe it’s time-blocking, muting distractions, or using focus apps. Maybe it’s setting an alarm that says, “Get back on track.” Whatever it is, you need to find your “mast” and tie yourself to it.
Because let’s be real—success doesn’t come from listening to every distraction. It comes from staying the course, no matter how loud the Sirens sing.
Taming the Sirens of Distraction: My Online Success Journey
Alright, here’s where I’m at: I’ve started John Thornhill’s Online Success Coaching. ✅ I’ve set up my account. ✅ I am going through the excellent training. ✅
Sounds solid, right? Progress is happening. But here’s the real challenge—staying focused.
If you’ve ever felt like your attention span is shrinking faster than a cheap t-shirt in the wash, welcome to the club. I used to be able to sit down, hammer out a task, and move on. Now? My brain is like an internet browser with 37 tabs open—half of them playing music, none of them getting closed.
I’m getting pulled in every direction—life, people, responsibilities, random distractions that suddenly seem very urgent. It’s like trying to steer a ship while every wave, bird, and seagull demands my attention.
But, as I mentioned in the story above, I’ve realized I need to tie myself to the mast.
How I’m Beating the Sirens (A.K.A. My Brain’s Love for Distractions)
So, I’ve been testing a few ways to keep my focus locked in:
✅ Time-Blocking – I set specific hours for working on my online business, and during that time, nothing else exists. The world could be on fire, and I wouldn’t know.
✅ “One Tab Rule” – No more 50 open tabs with half-read articles. If it’s not helping me right now, it’s getting closed.
✅ Shutting Out Noise – I mute notifications, slap on some background music, and pretend I live in a distraction-free world (even if reality disagrees).
✅ Daily “Why the Hell Am I Doing This?” Reminder – I keep a sticky note in front of me with my real reason for building this online business. If I get distracted, I read it. It reminds me that my future self is counting on me to stay on track.
What I’ve Learned So Far
🔥 Momentum builds motivation. The more I push forward, the more I want to keep going.
🔥 Distractions never stop, but I can control how I respond. The Sirens will always sing. My job is to stay focused anyway.
🔥 Progress is progress, even if it’s not perfect. Some days I’m super productive, other days I feel like I accomplished nothing. But as long as I keep showing up, I’m still moving forward.
What’s Next?
I’m doubling down on what’s working, tweaking what’s not, and keeping my focus locked on my goal. The Sirens of Distraction can keep singing—I’m staying the course.
If you’re on a similar journey, let me know—what’s your biggest struggle with staying focused? Let’s swap battle strategies. 💪
Oh, and if you’re looking for a real roadmap to online success, I highly recommend checking out John Thornhill’s Online Success Coaching—it’s already helping me make serious moves in my online business. 🚀
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