Put your blinders on

You try to do the best with what you’ve got and ignore everything else. That’s why horses get blinders in horse racing: You look at the horse next to you, and you lose a step. —Jimmy Lovine

Racehorses have a 350-degree field of vision, helpful as a prey species, but a problem on the racetrack because they can get easily distracted by other horses, the crowd, or the environment.

That’s why horse trainers use blinders. It blocks their peripheral vision and forces the racehorse to focus only on what’s straight ahead of them. Keeping their eyes on the prize.

In life, as in horse racing, focus is everything. The world is full of distractions but keeping your attention on what really matters is how you succeed.

If you’re easily distracted, like me, find out what works best. Personally, I wear earplugs when I need to concentrate (it’s the best 90 cents I’ve ever spent). Other people play the same song on repeat or use binaural beats (a type of music that’s supposed to enhance concentration).

The method doesn’t matter, the principle does:

Focus only on what matters and eliminate distractions—put your blinders on.

A definite purpose, like blinders on a horse, inevitably narrows its possessor's point of view.
—Robert Frost