Tony Robbins famously says, “Where focus goes, energy flows.” What we focus on will determine where we spend our time and energy. A focus mindset will empower you to dial in on the things that matter most in your life. Improving focus is a skill that takes time and practice, but these seven tips will start you on your path to eliminating distractions and clearing your mind of the clutter that keeps you from accomplishing your goals.

1. Eliminate Negative Self-Talk

   The story we tell ourselves will become our reality. Do you have limiting beliefs about yourself and your potential holding you back? Do the questions you ask yourself pre-suppose a negative outcome? If you ask yourself, “Why can’t I ever focus?” your brain will come up with a host of reasons why you are failing. Instead, ask, “What three things can I do today to improve my focus?” Assume that you can succeed, and reflect that confidence in your self-talk.

2. Visualize What Matters Most

   A focus mindset is much easier when we are doing something that we care about. So, figure out what really matters the most to you. What are your ultimate goals? What is your greater purpose? Now, act like you have already achieved those goals. Visualize yourself as the owner of that successful business you are striving for. Act as if you already have the relationship that you want. Visualize the life you want in detail. This exercise will utilize the law of attraction to move you closer to your goals.

3. Connect Your Tasks to Your Purpose

   Now that you have visualized your greater purpose, connect all those daily tasks to your bigger WHY. You might just be updating spreadsheets, but when you remember that it is a stepping stone to the life you visualize, you'll feel a greater sense of purpose and motivation. Doing the dishes is less painful when you see it as a way to serve your family rather than another task on your to-do list.

4. Don’t Multitask

   Our minds aren’t actually capable of multitasking. Instead, our brains jump from one task to another, preventing us from ever fully investing in one thing. We end up doing multiple things poorly, and our overall mental capacity and memory suffer. Commit yourself to only focusing on one task at a time, and be intentional about giving all your mental capacity to the task, conversation, or relationship in front of you.

5. Move Your Body

   Research has shown that even 20 minutes of exercise before working or studying can improve focus and memory. When we move our bodies, blood flows to our brains, firing up our neurons and increasing our mental capacity.

   While it sounds counterintuitive, taking scheduled breaks allows our brains to recharge and stay focused on our work. If you’ve been at your desk for a long time, take a few minutes to go for a walk or do some stretches. Make sure it is a real break; if you are checking your emails or scrolling social media, your brain won’t get the rest it needs, and your focus will suffer.

6. Change Your Environment

   Your physical environment can significantly impact your ability to focus–for better or worse. Are you constantly interrupted by email notifications or vibrating cell phones? Does the sound of cars outside or chatting with coworkers make it challenging to get in the zone? Set yourself up for success by setting up your environment. Turn off your phone or put it away in a drawer. Silence your email notifications. Clean up the clutter on your desk. Wear noise-canceling headphones or work in a quiet place. If you are easily distracted, take control of your environment and eliminate those distractions.

7. Take Care of Your Body

   It is hard to focus when you are overly tired, your stomach is growling, or you are feeling perpetually stressed. If you want to improve your focus at work or home, make sure you are caring for your physical body. Commit yourself to getting to bed on time so you get enough sleep. Eat a nourishing breakfast before work. Implement an exercise routine. Eliminate unnecessary stress from your life. Your mental capacity and your physical body are intimately connected. Take care of your body so you can perform your best.

The above suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to developing a focus mindset. If you want to change your life by changing your focus, these books about focus explain in detail how to use visualization, rituals, the law of attraction, habits, and physical cues to become a master of focus and productivity.

Russell Brunson is a successful entrepreneur and owner of multiple companies, a New York Times bestselling author, podcast host, and hardcore bibliophile. He has spent millions of dollars and years reading and collecting the most influential books, magazines, and notes from writers such as Napoleon Hill, Charles Haanel, and Jim Rohn. Brunson has done the work of filtering and vetting the very best literature and collecting it in this focus mindset online library so that you don’t have to. Below are some of the books you will have access to when you join the Secrets of Success Movement.

“Maximum Achievement” by Brian Tracy

“Everything you are or ever will be will be as a result of the way you think. If you change the quality of your thinking, you change the quality of your life.”

In this book, Brian Tracy emphasizes that 80% of business success is psychological and only 20% is mechanical. The most important thing you can do to drive your success is to take control of your psychology. He describes how to “make your mind a success machine” and outlines the “seven mental laws of success.” Whatever thoughts and beliefs you repeatedly feed your subconscious mind will become a reality. Therefore, you must make sure that you avoid self-defeating thoughts and visualize your success.

Deeper in the book, Tracy explains in greater detail some habits and practices you can implement to improve your focus and productivity. He introduces techniques for effectively managing your time, the skills for creating powerful habits, and strategies for overcoming procrastination. This book is a roadmap for success, giving you the tools to take control of your psychology and master your ability to focus.

“The Power of Focus” by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Lew Hewitt

“When you consistently make better choices you create better habits. These better habits produce better character. When you have better character, you add more value to the world. When you become more valuable, you attract bigger and better opportunities. This allows you to make more of a contribution in your life. This in turn leads to bigger and better results.”

The Power of Focus is the answer to procrastination, lack of motivation, or the inability to follow through on your goals. Canfield, Hansen, and Hewitt offer a simple, practical approach to improving your focus and tackling obstacles in your life. It all starts with developing powerful habits. The small actions we take daily–for better or worse–build our lives. Start by identifying negative habits, such as being late, spending too much money, or wasting time on social media, and replace those habits with positive ones.

Understand that everyone will experience setbacks in their lives. In this book, the authors give you the “Problem Solver Method” for tackling obstacles when they arise. The outcome of any scenario depends on the actions you take. If you are prepared for challenges, they will go from stumbling blocks to stepping stones of progress.

“Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude” by Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone

“Stop spending emotional energy protecting himself from the possible hurts of failure; instead, he spends his energy reaching for the probable rewards of success.”

According to Hill and Stone, the real secrets to success are not economic opportunity or superior skills but a positive mental attitude. An optimistic attitude is available to anyone, anytime, and so everyone has the chance to be successful. The universe operates on a system of reciprocity–people who are good, kind, and generous to others will get what they give.

Each day, every individual must choose whether to foster negative, pessimistic thoughts or have a positive, optimistic attitude. Those who choose a positive attitude will find success, happiness, and wealth. If you choose negativity, you will attract failure and unhappiness. In other words, what you focus on will come to you.