Make the main thing the main thing.
How treating focus as a finite resource can help you make real progress - not just do more.
Mantra: Make the main thing the main thing.
Last week, when I arrived at altitude camp, my enthusiasm to get back to training felt limitless. I was eager to log big hours on the bike, continue rehabbing my wrist, and check all the boxes that would help me come back stronger for the end of the season.
But as my coach and I went back and forth on the week’s schedule, I was reminded that both time and attention are finite resources that need to be managed accordingly.
“What if I cut the ride a little short and had time for strength in the afternoon?” I texted him, trying to find the best way to make it all fit.
He replied simply: “Remember what the main thing is.”
Lightbulb moment.
It’s easy, especially as an athlete, to feel like I need to do everything well to make progress. But the truth is, real progress comes from doing a few things exceptionally well in any given period.
There’s no shortcut for the kind of growth that comes from full focus and attention on the task that matters most. And while I often slip into what I call the “New Year’s Day” mentality - imagining I can suddenly execute everything perfectly, all at once - that’s not how meaningful, sustainable progress works.
Rather than maximizing, I needed to optimize.
While my schedule did not necessarily change all that much after this conversation (moving strength to the afternoon, cutting a bit of running volume, etc.), my focus did. It was all the reminder I needed to bring 100% of my effort and attention to the true priority of this training block.
I’m a firm believer that greatness comes from doing simple things with extreme care. When we fragment our attention, we start to focus on what we did (boxes checked) rather than how we did it (with focused attention).
It may seem obvious - but the simplest truths are often the hardest to remember, trust, and execute.
So this week, take a step back and ask yourself: what’s the main thing right now?
In a full and dynamic life, the answer will change over time, just as the priorities change in a given block of training or racing. That’s okay.
What matters is that you know what it is… and you go all in.
Message: let the rest go…
Making the main thing the main thing isn’t just about knowing what to focus on - it’s also about letting go of the competing priorities that draw your attention away from that focus point.
Musing: be relentless with your attention…
What can I let go of this week to better make progress on my primary goal?
Letting go off over optimization.