Best-Selling Author Erik Qualman on How Successful People Stay Focused

Today we welcome the leading authority on digital transformation, Mr. Erik Qualman. Erik is a bestselling author several times over, and an acclaimed motivational speaker that has given keynotes in over 55 countries, and reached 35 million people. His work has been featured on 60 Minutes, the Wall Street Journal, and used by the National Guard to NASA. His book Digital Leader propelled him to be voted the second ‘Most Likeable Author’ in the World, and today we pick his brain about his latest book, The Focus Project.

By his own admission, Erik fell into his career backward. He was always fascinated by technology and he was one of the first to recognize that social media is a business tool, not just entertainment for teenagers. His latest undertaking, The Focus Project, is a guide book to focus, something which Erik himself has struggled with.

“Successful folks, they’re not smarter than us, they’re not more gifted than us, but what they have is systems, they don’t rely on willpower, they have routines,” says Erik. “You want to hunt for antelope, not field mice. You think about a lion, and they can catch field mice all day, but eventually, they’re going to starve to death. A lot of us do that every day.”

A new dedication to focus means that digital transformation and leadership in business are more easily attainable. In light of this, Erik has five simple habits that leaders who are managing remote teams or moving their retail transactions online, need in order to succeed.

• Simple – don’t add things to your plate, try to take some away
• True – be true to the core of who you are
• Action – nothing happens without action
• Map – be firm in your destination but flexible in your path
• People – success doesn’t happen alone

For more great insight from Erik Qualman, be sure to watch our entire interview above.