Bill Belichick, Steve Jobs and Focus

If you talk to people who have worked closely with New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick, they’ll share stories of his work ethic, intelligence, poise, in-game decision making and his ability to maximize the talent around him.

But what really separates Belichick from coaches of other sports is his laser-sharp focus. Belichick never gets distracted. His attention to the present-day problem is unmatched. Reporters often ask him to comment on a situation in other sports or on world events, and his answer is most commonly, “I don’t know anything about it.” The media believes he’s messing with them, but he isn’t. He doesn’t know because it’s not where his attention is.

It’s that same ability to focus that also distinguished Steve Jobs.

“This sounds really simplistic, but it still shocks me how few people actually practice this,” Jony Ive, Apple’s former chief design officer, said of Jobs’ focus. “It’s a struggle to practice.”

Focus cannot be turned on some days and off others. It’s an every-minute commitment that centers around one question, Ive said.

“How many things have you said no to?” Jobs often asked Ive.

“What focus means is saying no to something with every bone in your body you think is a phenomenal idea, and you wake up thinking about it, but you say no to it because you’re focusing on something else,” Ive said.

That’s what Jobs’ real prowess was, and it’s Belichick’s as well.

With the right discipline, it can also be ours.