Why Focusing on the Main Thing Matters

Life is busy. There’s always another task to finish, another metric to track, and another notification pulling your attention in a dozen directions at once. With apps on our phones encouraging us to track every detail of our lives—from steps to sleep to productivity—it’s easy to feel like we’re falling behind. I’ve been there, caught in the hamster wheel of trying to do everything. It left me stressed, unproductive, and scattered.

Stephen Covey once said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” That simple idea hit me hard. When we focus on what truly matters—rather than chasing every metric or trying to manage every detail—we can find clarity and start making real progress. Letting go of the noise and prioritizing the essentials is the key to feeling less overwhelmed and more in control.

You don’t need to keep spinning. Trust me, you can slow down and thrive instead of merely surviving. Here’s how prioritizing the main thing over constant multitasking or excessive tracking has transformed my life.

The Power of Simplicity

When I say "focus on the main thing," I mean identifying the most important task, metric, or action that truly drives progress and ignoring or deprioritizing everything else. It’s not about perfection; it’s about effectiveness.

For example, I used to obsess over tracking every macro and micro in my diet. I’d painstakingly measure every carb, calorie, and fat gram...and hate every second of it. I thought it was necessary to hit my goal of building muscle and losing weight. But you know what? It wasn’t necessary.

Eventually, I realized my main thing was hitting my protein goal daily. That’s it. Once I shifted my focus, all the unnecessary stress dissolved. And guess what? My progress didn’t stall. I actually gained muscle, lifted heavier weights, and lost weight. On top of that, I started enjoying the process because it wasn’t about obsessively staying “perfect.”

The same principle can apply to almost every part of your life. You don’t need to measure everything to succeed. You just need to measure the right thing.

Real-Life Success Through Prioritization

Here’s another example. At On The Spot, the detailing business I am currently the CXO of, I used to be extremely focused on tracking every detail of my employees’ performance. Was everyone in clean uniforms? Were they on time? Did they follow procedures step by step? These metrics constantly stressed me out.

But here’s the hard truth I discovered—I wasn’t tracking these things just for the sake of tracking them. What I really cared about was ensuring our clients had an amazing experience. That’s the ultimate goal, right? Everything else was noise.

When I started focusing exclusively on gathering client feedback instead, something remarkable happened. I sent post-appointment review requests, and the feedback began pouring in.

• Clients raved about their favorite team members.

• Team members who weren’t meeting standards either improved naturally or decided to self-resolve by gracefully moving on.

By cutting out the constant tracking of every minor detail, I wasn’t just saving myself energy—I was driving improvement in the areas that mattered most.

How Focusing on the Main Thing Improves Your Own Life

Shifting to the mindset of focusing on the main thing doesn’t happen overnight. But it’s possible when you make two key changes in your perspective and your strategy.

1. Clarify Your Core Goal  

What are you trying to achieve? Not on the surface level, but below the surface. What is the actual result you’re after?

If your goal is to lose weight and gain muscle, tracking every nutritional stat might seem important. But your real goal is likely to eat a diet that supports strength and health. From there, you can determine your main thing (like focusing on protein).

If your goal is to improve your team’s client service, ask yourself which single metric connects to that success. For me, it was client feedback—not whether an employee’s van was perfectly spotless.

2. Measure What Matters, Forget the Rest  

Not everything needs to be tracked or managed. Ask yourself which metrics or benchmarks directly impact your core goal, and focus on those.

Here’s a rule I live by now: If a metric doesn’t align with achieving my main thing, it gets cut. Period. Getting comfortable with letting go of unnecessary tasks or measures is liberating. When you focus on fewer things that genuinely matter, you’ll see results faster than ever.

The Benefits of Focusing on One Thing

Prioritizing the main thing isn’t just about doing less work (although that’s an outcome you’ll appreciate). It’s about doing smarter work. Here’s why this approach is a game-changer:

• Less Stress: You stop worrying about a hundred little things and start feeling confident about the one thing that truly moves the needle.

• More Progress: When you focus your energy, you make meaningful strides instead of many small, scattered steps.

• Happier Process: You’ll enjoy the ride more when your efforts feel purposeful and less chaotic.

Remember, the most productive person in the room isn’t the one doing everything. It’s the one doing the right things well.

Your Turn

Think about your life or business. Is there something you’re tracking or worrying about that doesn’t actually matter as much as you think it does? Is there a clearer or simpler way to achieve the outcome you want? Chances are, it’s time to focus on the main thing.

If you’re still trying to figure out how to declutter your focus, I welcome you to join me for a consulting session (or grab my book on work-life harmony!). Together, we’ll uncover your main thing, cut through the chaos, and build systems that work for you, not against you.

Remember, achieving your goals doesn’t have to feel impossible. It just takes focusing on what truly matters and letting the rest fall away.

Here’s to progress that feels good. Cheers