Focused

David & Mike discuss their plans for Q4, setting quarterly milestones, and choosing what to leave undone.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Video version of this episode

The FOCUSED Calendar | NeuYear.net

MacSparky Labs

The 12 Week Year by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington

Intentional AI podcast

The Meaning of Your Life by Arthur Brooks

Doing This Every 90 Days Completely Changed My Life | YouTube

Personal Retreat Handbook 2.0

3 Questions That Will Change Your Life | Practical PKM

Robot Assistant Field Guide | MacSparky

VidSummit 2027

The Library Community | Practical PKM

I Built the Quick Capture Tool Obsidian Was Missing | YouTube

Productivity Field Guide | MacSparky

Focused #260: Quarterly Planning and Riding Roller Coasters

Grit by Angela Duckworth

Situated by Angela Duckworth

Grit: The power of passion and perseverance | TED Talk

How to Be Good at Life by Ben Meer

David & Mike discuss AI's tendency toward distraction and how to avoid the most common focus traps, from tool tourism to infinite collaboration.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Gusto: Payroll, HR, Benefits. Simplified. Get 3 months free.
• Saily: Affordable eSIM plans for international travel. Use code 'focused' for 15% off.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Video for this episode

Personal Retreat Handbook 2.0

Robot Assistant Field Guide

How I’m Organizing My Life this Fall | The Deep Life by Cal Newport

Why Most of Your Notes Never Make a Sound | Practical PKM

I Built the Quick Capture Tool Obsidian Was Missing | YouTube

Keychron K2 HE Wireless Magnetic Switch Custom Keyboard

TOYO ST-350MG Steel 2-Tier Tool Box (Military Green) | Amazon.com

You Can Just Do Things by Cate Hall

Dying Every Day by James Romm

Prompter XL | Elgato

Author and nerd Steve Kamb joins us to talk about the benefits of failure, escaping the doom loop, and how to try again.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Keeper: Get 60% off personal and family plans.
• Saily: Affordable eSIM plans for international travel. Use code 'focused' for 15% off.
• Daylite: The only made-for-mac CRM solution. Start your free trial today.

Guest Starring:

Steve Kamb

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Focused 265: How to Try Again with Steve Kamb | YouTube

Nerd Fitness

How to Try Again by Steve Kamb

Craft + Commerce

Museum of Failure

Anker soundcore Sleep A30 Smart ANC Sleep Earbuds

Toyo toolboxes

The Analog System | Ugmonk

Focused #204: Analog Productivity, with Jeff Sheldon

Squire Classic Pen | Baronfig

Uncommon Sense by William Brody

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

The Baroque Cycle | Neal Stephenson

David & Mike discuss chronotypes, capacity as a metric, tracking inputs, the delegation tax, and more in this feedback episode.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Gusto: Payroll, HR, Benefits. Simplified. Get 3 months free.
• Keeper: Get 60% off personal and family plans.
• Daylite: The only made-for-mac CRM solution. Start your free trial today.
• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Focused 264: The Accountability-Shaped Hole | YouTube

This One Idea Changed How I Think About My Entire Life | YouTube

MacSparky | YouTube

Relay for St. Jude

The Goal: 40th Anniversary Edition by Eliyahu Goldratt

Plans are worthless, but planning is everything | Practical PKM

The Score by C. Thi Nguyen

Screen Studio | Professional screen recorder for macOS

Focused #263: Removing the Roadblocks, with Cat Mulvihill

The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin

Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

Intentional AI | Relay

https://www.onlinejobs.ph/

Analog Starter Kits | Ugmonk

Wispr Flow | Effortless Voice Dictation

Cat Mulvihill joins us to talk about building momentum, the immunity to change framework, and dealing with our dreaded identity so we can finally focus on what's really important.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Keeper: Get 60% off personal and family plans.

Guest Starring:

Cat Mulvihill

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Cat Mulvihill

Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber

Immunity to Change by Robert Keagan & Lisa Lahey

Atomic Habits by James Clear

The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin

Senja

Sunsama

Cat's Creator Science episode with Jay Clouse

Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman

Ottocast Mini Cube 3.0 Wireless CarPlay & Android Auto Adapter | Amazon

VTech IS8121-2 Super Long Range Cordless Phone | Amazon

Anker Nano Charging Station (7-in-1, 100W)

The Goal: 40th Anniversary Edition by Eliyahu Goldratt

The Score by C. Thi Nguyen

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin

Cat's Immunity to Change Workshop

Instagram | catmulvihill

LinkedIn | Cat Mulvihill

The Momentum Experiment Podcast

The Road to 1 Million | Cat's Notion Tracker

David & Mike discuss owning your ideas and staying sharp with the values-based application of AI.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Scribe: AI-powered workflow documentation. Get your first month free.
• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Is AI Killing Writing? 12 Different Answers | How I Write Podcast

Intentional AI | Relay

Wispr Flow

Productivity Field Guide | MacSparky

Wavepal

David & Mike discuss Goodhart's Law, why effort matters more than outcomes, and how to maintain a healthy relationship with the numbers you use to keep score.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Video for this episode

Mike's Amplify Cohort

Focused #260: Quarterly Planning and Riding Roller Coasters

Focused #259: Nobody's Perfect, with Kathy Campbell

The Score by C. Thi Nguyen

Happy Scale

Insta360 Luna Ultra

Macstock Conference

Insta360 Mic Pro

Insta360 Mic Air

Ugmonk Analog

Field Notes

Apple: The First 50 Years by David Pogue

Mac Power Users #839: Fifty Years of Apple with David Pogue

Women of Walt Disney Imagineering by Ginger Zee

Focused #257: I Go By Vibes, with Stephen Robles

Read Between The Lynes

On B.S. by Harry Frankfurt

Don't Call it Art by Austin Kleon

David & Mike look back on Q2, share their plans for Q3, and talk about the ups and downs that come with being marginally challenged.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Video for this episode

Productivity Field Guide | MacSparky

Robot Assistant Field Guide | MacSparky

Apple Productivity Suite Field Guide | MacSparky

Circle

Intentional AI | Relay

The Growth Intensive

LifeHQ

Craft + Commerce

How I Run My Whole Life Out of Obsidian | YouTube

CreatorBot | Practical PKM

MacSparky's YouTube channel

Analog Travel Case (Walnut) | Ugmonk

Oura Ring

The Morality of Happiness by Julia Annas

Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings

Kathy Campbell joins us to talk about building systems, the art of delegation, and what to do when things don't go your way.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Keeper: Get 60% off personal and family plans.
• Incogni: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code FOCUSED with this link and get 60% off an annual plan.

Guest Starring:

Kathy Campbell

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Video version of this episode

The Unicorn Sidekick

Kathy Campbell | Chief Awesome Officer

Conduit | Relay

Conduit Live Show

Roboism | Relay

Dragonmount

The Wheel of Time | Wikipedia

The Envelope System

Museum of Failure

Endel | Focus, Relax and Sleep

Bullet Journal

NotebookTherapy | Japanese + Korean Stationery Shipped Free Worldwide

Tsuki Lunar Unicorn Limited Edition Bullet Journal | NotebookTherapy

The Unicorn Sidekick | YouTube

DJI Osmo Pocket 3

STARTRC Gimbal Protective Cover for DJI Osmo Pocket 3 | Amazon

Canon SELPHY CP1500 Wireless Compact Photo Printer

A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan

War of the Dragon: The Wheel of Time® by Dire Wolf | Kickstarter

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

How to Try Again by Steve Kamb

Nerd Fitness

The Morality of Happiness by Julia Annas

David & Mike discuss protecting your capacity, honoring your chronotype, and changing your personal defaults.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Vitally: Your Copilot for AI-Powered Customer Success. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
• Incogni: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code FOCUSED with this link and get 60% off an annual plan.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Video version of this episode

Intentional AI

Robot Assistant Field Guide

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Deep Work by Cal Newport

Dekáf Coffee

Oura Ring 5

Focused #257: I Go By Vibes, with Stephen Robles

Range by David Epstein

Inside the Box by David Epstein

Dying Every Day by James Romm

Stephen Robles joins us to talk about reading, intentional technology use, directing AI, and the golden era of the generalist.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Keeper: Get 60% off personal and family plans.
• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.

Guest Starring:

Stephen Robles

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Focused 257 on YouTube

Stephen's website

Riverside.fm

Stephen's YouTube channel

Treo 755p | Wikipedia

Engadget | Technology News & Expert Reviews

Mac Power Users | Relay

Range by David Epstein

The Gap and The Gain by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan

MKBHD on his 100th video | YouTube

The Talk Show Ep. 447, with Adam Lisagor

Hovercraft

The Rise of the Creative Tastemaker | Practical PKM

The Light Phone

FL Studio

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

I Am Not a Robot by Joanna Stern

Your Brain on Art by Susan Magsamen & Ivy Ross

100 Rules for Living to 100 by Dick Van Dyke

Creativity by John Cleese

Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

The Other Side of Sadness by George Bonanno

The Violin Maker by John Marchese

Foundation | IMDb

Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday

Last Meals | YouTube

Reconcilable Differences | Relay

Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

Unreasonable Hospitality: The Secret to an Audience That Never Leaves | Nathan Barry Show #127

On B.S. by Harry Frankfurt

The Odyssey by Homer, Emily Wilson translation

Shark Slider Pico | iFootage

Plaud Note Pro

Govee Smart Cordless Table Lamp Classic | Amazon

David & Mike discuss the difference between task triage and time architecture when designing your week and using rituals to help you transition from one task to the next.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Vitally: Your Copilot for AI-Powered Customer Success. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
• Keeper: Get 60% off personal and family plans.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Video version of this episode

Focused #250: Planning Your Week

Don't Plan Your Week, Design It | Practical PKM

The Deep Life by Cal Newport #316: Weekly Templates

David's Ideal Week Template

Mike's Ideal Week Template

Plan Your Ideal Week | Free Tool by Mike Schmitz

Timery

Day One

Obsidian

Keychron K2 HE Wireless Keyboard

Mike's guitar

What You're Made For by George Raveling

The Morality of Happiness by Julia Annas

In this feedback episode, David and Mike discuss slowing down, complicated second brains, and the minimum viable productivity system.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Video Version of This Episode

Focused #254: Battling Burnout

Mike's Newsletter on The Amateur Advantage

Focused #87: Nerds Like Us, with Myke Hurley

The Pen Addict

Obsidian

NotePlan

I Deleted My Second Brain by Joan Westenberg | Medium

Why You Should Write Every Day (Even if You’re Not a Writer) by Joan Westenberg | Medium

Mac Power Users #845: Intentional Technology with Patrick Rhone

NextLevel Pulsar Brewer

Ruby Coffee Roasters

How to Live a Meaningful Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans

Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans

Good Eye | Lost Art Press

David & Mike discuss the many different flavors of burnout, why productivity nerds are so susceptible, and what you can do to fight back against this insidious foe of focus.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Vitally: Your Copilot for AI-Powered Customer Success. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
• Gusto: Payroll, HR, Benefits. Simplified. Get 3 months free.
• Incogni: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code FOCUSED with this link and get 60% off an annual plan.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Video for this episode

Mike's Book Summary Channel | YouTube

How Claude Helped Me Make the Videos I Want to Make | Practical PKM

Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) | Mind Garden

The End of Burnout by Jonathan Malesic

Bookworm #243: The End of Burnout by Jonathan Malesic

LARQ Bottle PureVis™ 2

Insta360 Wave | Professional AI-Powered Speakerphone

Insta360 Link 2

The Way of Excellence by Brad Stulberg

Harry Potter Full-Cast Editions | Audible.com

Corporate lawyer David Roth joins to talk about the challenges of staying focused in a fast-paced profession where small mistakes can cost millions of dollars.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.

Guest Starring:

David Roth

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Video for this episode

David Roth | Attorney & Technologist

Remember The Milk

Getting Things Done®

OmniFocus

Things | Cultured Code

NotePlan

Obsidian

Mac Power Users #756: Exploring NotePlan with David Roth

Claude Cowork | Anthropic

Robot Assistant Field Guide | MacSparky Field Guides

Enchiridion of Epictetus | Wikipedia

Readwise

Cleft Notes

Leatherman ARC Multi-tool

MacBook Neo | Apple

MacBook Pro | Apple

Basecamp Orange - iPhone 16 Pro | Ridge

Wallet for MagSafe - Basecamp Orange | RIdge

Power Bank - 10k mAh - Basecamp Orange | Ridge

MV88 USB-C | Shure

Sponsor Games

Apple in China by Patrick McGee

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni

The Score by C. Thi Nguyen

David has a new Field Guide, and both he & Mike discuss the ways they're using AI to have their robot assistants help with the donkey work.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Gusto: Payroll, HR, Benefits. Simplified. Get 3 months free.
• Incogni: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code FOCUSED with this link and get 60% off an annual plan.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Video for this episode

Robot Assistant Field Guide | MacSparky Field Guides

Save 10% with code FOCUSROBOT

LifeTheme Cohort

Did the AI Job Apocalypse Just Begin? (Hint: No.) | Cal Newport's AI Reality Check

OpenClaw

Claude

The Ultimate AI Masterclass For Businesses in 2026 | The Nathan Barry Show

Claude for Chrome

Obsidian

FreshBooks

DJI Osmo Pocket 3

The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr

By Hand & Eye

Podcast coach and Streamlined Soloprenuer founder Joe Casabona joins us to talk about building systems, effective delegation, and when to actually automate.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.

Guest Starring:

Joe Casabona

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Joe's Website

Joe Casabona | LinkedIn

Focused #249: What if This Were Easy? with Ernie Svenson

Toggl

‎Focus app | App Store

Brick | Take Back Control of Your Screen Time

Sponsor Games

Balatro

A World Without Email by Cal Newport

Streamlined Solopreneur #520: 3 Steps to Reclaim Your Life from Email

https://www.onlinejobs.ph/

Tella

SaneBox

The End of Burnout by Jonathan Malesic

Zapier

OpenClaw

David's OpenClaw video

reMarkable Paper Pro Move

reMarkable 2

Supernote Nomad

USB Hub | Elgato

Keychron Q3 QMK Custom Mechanical Keyboard

Keychron K2 HE Wireless Magnetic Switch Custom Keyboard

The Iliad by Homer

The Odyssey by Homer

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

David & Mike discuss how to plan your week and share their own weekly planning workflows.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Gusto: Payroll, HR, Benefits. Simplified. Get 3 months free.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Productivity Field Guide 2026 (Pro Edition) | MacSparky Field Guides

The 4 Disciplines of Execution

Supernote Nomad

Analog Weekly Cards | Ugmonk

The End of Burnout by Jonathan Malesic

The Peace Of Wild Things by Wendell Berry

David's personal Yoda is back to talk about curiosity, creativity, and the role of AI in focused work.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Incogni: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code FOCUSED with this link and get 60% off an annual plan.
• Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.

Guest Starring:

Ernie Svenson

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Ernie the Attorney

Circle | The complete community platform

Creativity by John Cleese

Wispr Flow | Effortless Voice Dictation

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Writing Without Teachers by Peter Elbow

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

The Pathless Path by Paul Millerd

Alchemy by Rory Sutherland

Influence by Robert Cialdini

Day One Journal App | Your Journal For Life

OpenClaw

The Overthinker's Guide to Making Decisions by Joseph Nguyen

The Tools of Excellence by Nicholas Bate

The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novick

David & Mike discuss the Hero's Journey and how focus can help in your own epic quest.

This episode of Focused is sponsored by:

• Gusto: Payroll, HR, Benefits. Simplified. Get 3 months free.

Links and Show Notes:

Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content.

Video version of this episode

Productivity Field Guide 2026 (Pro Edition) | MacSparky Field Guides

Use coupon code FOCUSEDPFG for 10% off.

Die Empty by Todd Henry

How many career changes in a lifetime? | The University of Queensland

Hero's Journey Overview | Wikipedia

Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth | BillMoyers.com

From Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks

The Library Community

The Personal Retreat Planner