Clearer, Closer, Better

Your eyes don't just see the world—they shape how you experience it and how you act within it.

1. Focus Sharply to Conquer Big Goals

Narrowing your visual focus can make seemingly daunting goals more achievable. Olympic marathon champion Joan Benoit Samuelson adopted this strategy during her races by targeting one runner at a time to pass—a simple yet powerful way to break a long race into manageable parts.

By focusing solely on a specific endpoint, you can channel your efforts more efficiently. A study conducted with gym-goers found that individuals who fixed their gaze on the finish line reported it as closer. These participants walked faster, exerted less effort, and still reached their goal quicker than others who glanced around.

In the financial sphere, visual focus can also help clarify long-term goals. In one experiment, young adults who viewed digitally aged photos of themselves allocated more money for retirement than those who didn’t. By focusing on their "future selves," these participants created a tangible connection with future goals, making them more motivated to act.

Examples

• Joan Benoit Samuelson focusing on one competitor at a time.
• Gym-goers concentrating on the finish line to reduce perceived effort.
• Aged photos encouraging young people to save for retirement.

2. Visualize Steps, Not Just Outcomes

Instead of only imagining success, visualize the actions necessary to get there. Triple Olympic swimming champion Gary Hall Sr committed to specific target goals by writing them on his kickboard, facing them every day in practice.

Psychologist Shelley E. Taylor's studies reinforce this. College students who visualized studying strategies, such as going to the library at set times, outperformed peers who merely imagined scoring high grades. The visualization of concrete steps inspired productive habits and fostered better results.

Acknowledging setbacks is also essential for progress. Tata Group's Dare to Try award celebrates failed but audacious efforts. This encourages employees to push boundaries without fearing mistakes, nurturing creativity and proactive problem-solving.

Examples

• Gary Hall Sr using a kickboard as a visual reminder of his swimming targets.
• Taylor's college students who visualized study actions outperforming peers.
• Tata Group's normalization of failure to foster innovation.

3. Maintain Accountability Through Progress Tracking

Tracking your progress ties your effort to outcomes, increasing your likelihood of success. Mike Lee, founder of MyFitnessPal, used calorie tracking to lose weight for his wedding, later turning the idea into a globally popular app.

Recording progress brings clarity to areas of improvement. Carrie Smith Nicholson dug herself out of $14,000 debt in just 14 months by using visual budget tracking tools. Monitoring where her money went empowered her to stay disciplined with spending.

Research supports this practice. People who meticulously record their food intake lose twice as much weight as those who don’t. Tracking turns invisible habits into visible actions, so you can make meaningful adjustments.

Examples

• Mike Lee's calorie tracking inspiring MyFitnessPal.
• Carrie Smith Nicholson overcoming financial debt using savings tools.
• Studies showing tracked food consumption doubles weight loss success.

4. Direct Your Attention Wisely

What you see determines much of what you prioritize. Retailers know this well—they place tempting items like chocolate bars at eye level for impulse buys. Similarly, environments often shape decisions without you realizing it.

In the Capitol, U.S. senators and representatives fight for seats in direct view of the presiding officer. Visibility increases influence, allowing lawmakers to shape discussions more effectively. On a personal level, your phone lighting up late at night can hijack attention—even if you've vowed to cut back on screen time.

To stay focused, consciously arrange your surroundings. Removing visual distractions can prevent impulsive choices and encourage better habits, like properly organizing groceries to highlight healthy options.

Examples

• Supermarkets placing high-margin items in visible areas.
• U.S. lawmakers competing for influential seats in view of decision-makers.
• Managing personal phone use by placing it out of sight during work or bedtime.

5. Read Emotional Clues Accurately

Success requires the ability to interpret others' emotions correctly, even negative ones. Feedback that feels tough can often be more valuable than praise, as it pushes you toward genuine improvement.

One study revealed that people struggle to differentiate between emotions like fear, sadness, and anger, often confusing these for one another. However, sharp observers identify distinguishing features—such as subtle changes around the eyes and lips—to gain better insights.

Fostering a "growth mindset," as championed by psychologist Carol Dweck, helps you treat mistakes as valuable lessons. Embracing constructive criticism and facing reality head-on can bring sustained growth over empty reassurances.

Examples

• Experiments showing fear is often mistaken for surprise.
• Recognizing genuine smiles through eye muscle contraction.
• Carol Dweck's advocacy for embracing negative feedback.

6. Broaden Focus to Align with Big-Picture Goals

Sometimes, what feels good in the moment isn’t aligned with long-term objectives. Broadening your focus allows you to compare short-term impulses against larger ambitions—a lesson underscored by tracking impulse purchases.

In one study, participants spent 50% more than expected when tracking unexpected purchases, revealing how small temptations like coffee and pastries quickly add up. Once aware of this misalignment, planning ahead—such as prepping meals in advance—helped participants regain control.

Wider focus benefits seasoned athletes, too. Studies show runners broaden their perspective at race starts to strategize, then narrow their focus near the finish line. Different stages require different types of visual attention.

Examples

• Participants realizing the cumulative cost of frequent coffee shop visits.
• Runners using broad focus during early stages of a race for strategy.
• Shoppers impulsively buying from visually dominant displays in stores.

7. Letting Go of Unrealistic Dreams

Giving up on a cherished goal isn’t failure—it’s redirection. Steve Sims started as a bricklayer, switched to stockbroking, but ultimately rebranded himself as an elite concierge service founder. Embracing change opened doors he never dreamed possible.

Vera Wang also adapted when her figure skating dreams fell short. After failing to make the Olympics, she explored fashion and became one of the world’s top designers. Letting go doesn’t mean giving up; it means choosing a path more aligned with your future.

Success isn’t fixed. Redefining your journey can sometimes bring results even better than your original vision.

Examples

• Steve Sims transitioning from stockbroker to elite event organizer.
• Vera Wang leaving figure skating to excel in fashion design.
• Entrepreneurs pivoting when initial ventures fail, finding bigger successes.

8. Rethink the Habit of Multitasking

Multitasking is often celebrated, but it can harm your productivity and decision-making. Dieters in one study consumed 40% more calories while multitasking and reported feeling less in control of their choices afterward.

Low levels of multitasking can boost performance temporarily, as seen in ER doctors handling manageable patient loads. The stress sharpens problem-solving skills. However, beyond a certain point, mental strain reduces efficiency and increases mistakes.

Choosing focus over divided attention yields better results for complex tasks. Rather than spreading yourself thin, concentrate energy where it matters most.

Examples

• Dieters eating more calories while distracted with other tasks.
• ER doctors improving performance with moderate, but not excessive, patient loads.
• Everyday decisions suffering low-quality outcomes due to multitasking overload.

9. Turn Mistakes into Lessons

Instead of avoiding failures, successful people see them as opportunities. Tata Group's Dare to Try award isn’t about accomplishments but rewarding brave attempts, fostering a culture where mistakes are stepping stones, not deterrents.

Successful students and professionals view failures not as setbacks but as tools to identify blind spots. By reviewing errors, athletes improve timing, students refine study methods, and businesses discover gaps in strategy.

Take a cue from top performers: analyze where you went wrong and use those lessons to propel future progress.

Examples

• Tata Group rewarding bold but failed endeavors to boost innovation.
• Swimmers reviewing false starts to fine-tune their timing.
• Businesses embracing failure as part of growth, drawing lessons from mistakes.

Takeaways

1. Focus your attention narrowly when you’re closing in on a goal, but broaden your scope to reassess long-term objectives regularly.
2. Maintain detailed reviews of your progress—such as tracking spending or daily habits—to reveal areas in need of improvement.
3. Embrace feedback that isn't always positive as a stepping stone for better results. Use both positive and negative cues to guide growth.