Finding Clarity: Narrowing Focus for Greater Success

SUMMARY

In this episode, the host talks about the importance of clarity and shares personal insights on overcoming mental fog and distractions. The host discusses the challenges of juggling multiple goals and projects, emphasising the need to focus on what truly matters. The episode highlights the decision to narrow focus on speaking engagements and corporate comedy, leaving other pursuits on hold. A more intimate, heart-to-heart discussion is presented, aiming to provide listeners with valuable takeaways on simplifying their professional endeavours. The host also invites listeners to reach out for support and clarity, sharing details about future podcast plans and upcoming interviews.

Want to chat? Check the info below.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

00:32 Struggles with Mental Fog and Clarity

00:53 The Challenge of Chasing Too Many Goals

02:13 The Importance of Simplifying and Focusing

04:48 Decisions About the Podcast and Future Plans

06:02 Realisations from Performance and Speaking

09:35 The Need for Focus and Letting Go

11:50 Commitment to Stage Domination

19:29 Support and Encouragement

21:39 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

Visit presentinfluence.com/quiz to take the Speaker Radiance Quiz and discover your Charisma Quotient.

For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedIn

You can find all our clips, episodes and more on the Present Influence YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PresentInfluence

Thanks for listening, and please give the show a 5* review if you enjoyed it.

Well, welcome to the episode.

2

Today.

3

Things are gonna be a little

different, and I've been trying

4

some different things recently.

5

If you've been tuning in, you maybe

have noticed that, and this one's

6

not gonna be about frameworks.

7

It's not gonna be about speaking

persuasion tips or anything like that.

8

This was about clarity and really

just wanting me wanting to share

9

with you some of the things that.

10

Been thinking about that, helping me

get more clarity that I think might help

11

you as well, especially if you do have

any struggles on the journey to moving

12

forward as a, as a speaker, or with

anything else you're doing professionally.

13

if you feel any kind of mental

fog, you, because I've been feeling

14

foggy for a little while now.

15

Too many things pulling on my attention.

16

If this is stuff that comes up for you.

17

That's what I wanna talk about

today, and I hope that you'll

18

find it helpful as well.

19

If this feels like it has no relevance

to you, you're probably gonna want

20

to listen to another episode, or you

might find some value in this that

21

might help you if you're coaching or

helping other people who are dealing

22

with these kinds of things going on.

23

But what I really want to share with

you is what I've realized about chasing

24

too many goals and how really I'm trying

to narrow things down to what matters

25

the most and having made a decision to

stop trying to build too many things and

26

start really focusing on building stages.

27

So the mental fog has been kind of real.

28

And you know, I haven't really haven't

scripted anything as much today.

29

I've kind of outlined some thoughts,

but I really want to have a real heart

30

to heart conversation with you today.

31

And so this mental focus stuff has

been going on for a little while.

32

And if you've been tuning into the show,

you will have heard me talk about this.

33

And if you haven't,

this is your first time.

34

Cool.

35

Glad you're here.

36

But, One of the reasons for this, one of

the big things that was coming up from

37

was recognizing, was recognizing that one

of the, key culprits, if you like, one of

38

the main culprits for feeling this mental

fog was to do with limited identity.

39

Like really struggling to step into

the identity of who I want to be.

40

I would say also maybe not having

complete clarity on who that person is

41

yet and, and figuring that stuff out.

42

So that's been a real part of the journey.

43

I'm gonna talk much more fully on that in

a future episode, but I really want to get

44

to the other side of that journey before

I start talking too deeply about it.

45

A real thing though, and it's always

been one of my biggest challenges, is

46

trying to do too many things at once.

47

like you're on a treadmill, but

you're not really getting anywhere.

48

You know, you're putting in all

the effort and the energy you get.

49

Of course you get some results from that,

but you're not getting to a destination,

50

you're just staying in one spot.

51

And that's pretty much how

it's been feeling for me.

52

And I always like the metaphor of like, we

all have to push our big rock up a hill.

53

We all have our big rocks in life so

we are trying to push our big rock

54

up a hill to get it over the top

of the hill, get it to the tipping

55

point, the momentum point where it

starts to gather its own momentum.

56

You don't have to push hard anymore,

it starts to pull you forward.

57

And things take on a life for their own.

58

But what stops most of us from ever

getting to the tipping point is

59

picking up all the shiny objects

and rocks and of tanking into all

60

the distractions and beautiful

scenery and things along the way.

61

And so we can even end up at points

where, however far we get with our big

62

rock, we can start rolling backwards

and finding ourselves feeling like

63

we're back at square one and, and

not really making any progress.

64

It's not a great place to be and it can

leave you feeling a little disillusioned,

65

disheartened wondering if it's really

worth the effort of trying again.

66

But I get this Imagine and just imagine

if you're trying to push your big rock

67

up an incline treadmill, you're never

gonna get to that point at the top.

68

You're just gonna keep

pushing and pushing.

69

It is like King Sisyphus.

70

the never ending.

71

You'll always keep finding yourself

back at the bottom again and

72

having to start from scratch.

73

And so.

74

Many of the clients I've worked with over

many years will often say the same thing.

75

If they've got too many things

going on, we need to simplify.

76

It may not be realistic to get

rid of everything that's on your

77

plate, but there probably is stuff

that could go, or it could at least

78

go on hold for the time being.

79

Even if you don't really want to do it,

because for me, with everything going

80

on like podcasting, coaching, speaking,

comedy, storytelling, all of these things

81

is just starting to become mental noise.

82

And the emotional cost of all of it

has been a bit of a loss of momentum,

83

some fatigue and some self-doubt.

84

Now, don't get me wrong, they're having

been really good things to come outta

85

the out of those things too, and I

wanna talk somewhat about that as well.

86

The reality is having too many things

on the go, as much as it can be fun and

87

exciting, it ultimately slows you down

and and can often mean you never really

88

get to where you want to with any of them.

89

And so that's not really where any of us

probably want to find ourselves in life.

90

I had to make some decisions

recently about the podcast.

91

They did a whole episode about that.

92

The changes that I'm making, that

things needed to be more simplified

93

because otherwise the show ends

up taking up too much time.

94

I don't wanna be, just putting out content

for the sake of putting out content.

95

It doesn't really deliver anything.

96

It makes me feel like I'm busy.

97

It makes me feel like I'm doing something.

98

I'm doing the busy work,

but where are the results?

99

I have to see results for it.

100

I see some results, but not anything

like where I would hope to be after

101

six years of podcasting that I

still sort of feel like I'm still

102

on the starting blocks really.

103

whilst I know there are people who

tune into the show regularly, and I

104

know that the audience is very small

and sometimes there are big spikes.

105

There has been this week, big

spikes in the listenership, and

106

then there are big slumps in it.

107

This up and down journey,

it just can't go on.

108

Things have to show A consistent level of

valuable growth to show that this podcast

109

is worth me continuing to invest my

time, energy, and knowledge into it, and

110

to keep setting up the guest interviews

for you or to move on to another project

111

that's gonna be a better use of my time

and more desirable for you as well.

112

I think what's come from the performance

aspects of what I've been doing

113

mostly this year as well, is just that

realization that the stage is really

114

where I'm meant to be, the stage is

where I feel like I'm my most confident.

115

It's where I feel that people really

see me and hear me where I feel, I

116

guess, where I feel valued as well.

117

And that is important to me to

feel that there's value in what

118

I'm doing and that people are

appreciating it and we all need that.

119

Maybe there's some ego tied into that

probably, but ultimately it is a wanting

120

to make an impact, wanting to have an

effect, wanting to be seen, be heard,

121

all the stuff we often talk about.

122

On the show, we talk recently an

episode about feeling ignored.

123

And sometimes I do, sometimes online,

particularly on social media, I feel

124

kind of ignored, but I don't, don't

necessarily know how to fix that.

125

But then when I put stuff out, that's

me on stages, suddenly I get noticed.

126

Suddenly I get the numbers

going up, the downloads going,

127

one, one YouTube video for me.

128

Maybe nothing great in terms

of people who get like hundreds

129

and thousands of downloads for

an episode, but hitting 7,000.

130

Views for a sim, for a single

video for me was a first.

131

And it's like, oh, that's significant.

132

Wow.

133

Seven tons of views.

134

That's significant.

135

Pretty sure that's not just my mum

going through YouTube shorts watching

136

the same one over and over again.

137

At least I hope not.

138

the thing, things like that,

they just want, you think, yeah.

139

The stages really by need to be, whether

it's keynote, whether it's comedy set,

140

that's where people are paying attention.

141

That's where people are reaching

out to me, and for me, that's

142

where the real magic happens.

143

And so there's been this whole internal

debate on like pausing the podcast

144

around the, you know, we're keeping

it going somewhat, but really doubling

145

down on the speaking or doubling down

on the coaching and when it came down

146

to it is like, I feel like the speaking

is really what it's all about for me.

147

And the coaching is something

that probably will come, I

148

still will do some of it.

149

I still have people approaching me

from time to time to work with me.

150

and that's great.

151

I love that.

152

I will, I will keep doing it, but.

153

I, I'm not gonna be focusing my

time and energy on the attraction

154

part of coaching right now because

I feel like it's the speaking bit

155

that is really where I need to focus.

156

If anything, this year has shown me

that, Getting on stages to do standup

157

comedy has been incredibly valuable

for growing my abilities as a speaker,

158

but also my confidence, my comfort on

stage, my ability to communicate and

159

connect with people as well, which

I feel much more able to do now.

160

I'm not just, I'm not just getting up

there and being a clown for people.

161

Look at me, look at me and

getting up there to connect with

162

people and to have some fun and.

163

When I'm speaking, it's, it's, it's kind

of the same get out there to connect, to

164

have some fun, to learn something as well.

165

You know, we go into more into the

edutainment kind of style of that.

166

It's even got me thinking, I feel very

much like, corporate comedy is something

167

that I want to offer as well, and I

know that that's, kind of, you know,

168

the thing that many people just won't

consider as a speaker because not everyone

169

wants to be a standout, and that's cool.

170

I love doing stand up, and so I think,

well, why don't lean into that more and

171

kind of bring more, much more of it into

my speaking, but not to the point where

172

things become ridiculous or not taking

anything seriously, but definitely.

173

there's a big demand for, for

corporate comics, for MCs, for

174

after dinner speakers even.

175

That would be a really lucrative

area to get into that I will

176

enjoy and I think it's gonna give

value to other people as well.

177

So it turns out really that, you know,

focus isn't really the risk for me.

178

The distraction is.

179

I've been very distracted and

I've allowed myself to be as well.

180

But here's, here's the problem,

here's where I think that comes from.

181

Ultimately, when you're not really where

you want to be, you can end up trying to.

182

Pull every lever, push every door

and hope that something gives.

183

And it is this strategy of hope.

184

You hope something's gonna

give, and get you somewhere.

185

And I recognize that with the podcast.

186

I recognize that was a bit of a

strategy of hope, hoping that the

187

numbers would grow, hoping that

things would take off with it, but.

188

Then getting that wake up call of, well,

it's not gonna grow if you don't know why.

189

It's not growing.

190

It's not just a, a magic

thing that suddenly happens.

191

You have to be moving in that direction.

192

You have to be listening to your audience

and the feedback that you're getting.

193

which for me mostly is from my stats,

from the show stats, and it has

194

given me a lot of clear direction.

195

but also from some of the people

who tune into the show as well.

196

And just having that wake up call of, I

cannot spend so much time on it anymore

197

because it's not paying off and it doesn't

look like it's going to pay off at least

198

financially, you know, anytime soon.

199

And so I have to do something about that.

200

And that's something was.

201

Making some changes, simplifying

my workflow, cutting back on

202

some things so that I could

focus on what's most important.

203

So there's a really bad, getting

very practical and honest with

204

myself and saying, you know what?

205

And the podcast isn't going away.

206

I'm not gonna, I, I just

can't, I can't quit it.

207

I can't quit you like Brokeback

Mountain, I just kind of quit yet.

208

I can't quit the podcast.

209

I maybe I'm kind of addicted to it.

210

I'm not wanting to let it go.

211

It is kind of my baby.

212

I love doing it and still getting

amazing people reaching out, wanting

213

to come on the show as well, which I'm

setting up some very, very cool guests.

214

there's a lot to look forward to it,

so it's not going anywhere for now,

215

will re it will remain to be seen

whether it does or not next year.

216

but even if it does, something

else will come along and I will do

217

something else in the podcast world.

218

if this ends up not being the best

place for me to be putting out my time

219

and my energy, then I will definitely

have a big rethink about that.

220

But for the next 90 days, I'm going

all in on my speaking business and

221

the corporate comedy stuff and, and

focusing on getting myself booked.

222

So this really means maybe somewhat fewer

podcast episodes might be cutting back.

223

It might actually end up getting cut

back to two episodes a month to give

224

myself the leeway here to be able to take

a big time burden off my own plate so

225

that I can focus on what's making money.

226

'cause ultimately I have to stay fed and

clothed and all those important things.

227

so I'm only gonna be coaching on request.

228

I'm not gonna be actively

reaching out for clients.

229

And, All the energy, all my energy

is gonna be going into getting

230

booked, performing and proving,

proving myself that I can do it.

231

So, you know, I'm, I'm calling it, I'm

calling it my stage domination sprint and.

232

This is exactly how I'm

gonna be measuring it.

233

'cause my goal is for two gigs a month,

two gigs a month is gonna be optimal.

234

Might take a little while to

get there, but two gigs a month

235

ideally is optimally gonna be

five, 5,000 euros or pounds a gig.

236

get my new show real up, get 'em, get

some audience impacts and, feedback,

237

testimonials, all all that good stuff.

238

all the stuff that I've always told

clients to get, especially people I've

239

worked with at Speaker Lab, is time

for me to do those things for myself.

240

So.

241

It's not about quitting things

so much, it's some, 'cause I'm

242

not really quitting anything.

243

Some stuff is going on

the back burner for now.

244

But this is really about committing

to what works and what I know works.

245

'cause success isn't really

that hard if you actually do the

246

things that will get you success.

247

And I know exactly what to do to get

speaker bookings and get successful.

248

I'm just not doing enough of it.

249

And so that's what

really has had to change.

250

You know, the, the stoic philosophers

definitely recognised that sometimes we

251

have to give out the things that we love.

252

And sometimes that's an

exercise in in growth.

253

It's also just stopping us from

allowing ourselves to just do things

254

because they're habitual or because

we're addicted somewhat to them.

255

And so we're not just in the habit.

256

We're not just doing stuff because

that's the habit we've fallen into.

257

We get more control back when we

stop doing some of these things.

258

When we, when we fast, we

appreciate our food more.

259

When we cut out alcohol for a while,

we maybe feel healthier, for a bit

260

and also might feel more appreciative

of it when we do allow ourselves

261

to drink, if we do go back to it.

262

Same with anything in life, same

with all these projects as well.

263

We can get addicted to doing

all the things we end up

264

with entrepreneurial guilt.

265

You know, I made that decision

266

working for myself, and it's been

a rough road with lots of wonderful

267

ups and lots of downs as well.

268

No kidding.

269

It's not for everyone.

270

You have to be, you have

to be prepared for that.

271

But I made that choice and

I'm, I'm living with it.

272

to be honest with you, I'm loving it and

I'm not regretting it at all because my

273

life, I have so much to be grateful for.

274

I feel very lucky.

275

I feel very lucky and

privileged in my life.

276

And, and I think far too many

people underplay the role that

277

luck does have in their success

because so much of it is just luck,

278

right place, right time, or right.

279

Knowledge, right.

280

People that, all those kinds of

things can just, luck really comes

281

into a, a big part of it somewhat.

282

Privilege as well, and we have

to acknowledge these things.

283

People say that all self-made, nobody

is, we we're, we are made from the

284

people who help to make us, the people

who've helped to push us up, pull us

285

up and everything else along the way.

286

And from the conditions and the, the,

the luck and privilege that we have,

287

perhaps sometimes been born into as

well and sometimes not, sometimes we

288

really do have to work damn hard for it.

289

But we are all a product.

290

We are all a product of our

environment, our people, good and bad.

291

it all helped to shape us

into who we've become today.

292

And if you like, who you become,

if you love who you are today.

293

Great.

294

You're in a good place.

295

If you don't, there may be

still some work to do, but I do.

296

I love who I am today.

297

I love where I'm heading in my life.

298

I regret none of my decisions.

299

all the challenges I've been

through whilst I've been difficult,

300

have been absolutely worth it.

301

And I know there's more to come, but

different challenges, different future.

302

So I realized that I don't need

to be a, a coach, a podcaster, a

303

comedian, a storyteller, a trainer,

a keynoter, all these things at once.

304

I don't need to be all of it at once.

305

I just need to be me.

306

I need to be John Ball, someone

who helps people connect and think

307

and have some laughs along the way.

308

The fog hasn't been a flaw.

309

It's really been a signal to me,

a signal of misaligned focus.

310

I would even say the brain fog at

times is, is almost far painful because

311

it's just been so hard to think.

312

But as I feel that fog

lifting now, mostly, mostly

313

lifted, to be honest with you.

314

It really has become about finding the

one thing to go all in on, and everything

315

has been pointing me in the direction

of getting myself on stages and going

316

all in, and I feel that me doing that

as well is gonna be more beneficial to

317

you too as a listeners of this show.

318

Because there's a good chance that you

are looking to get booked on stages

319

as well, whether that's getting booked

as a paid speaker or getting booked

320

to get more clients or promote your

business or, or getting on stages as

321

a leader for any of those reasons.

322

Me doing more of that is gonna help

you to do more of that for yourself.

323

So for the next 90 days, it's stage first.

324

Everything else is second.

325

And if you are someone who's been

spread thin, then maybe this will

326

nudge you to pick one path to.

327

Sometimes we do have to let go.

328

the Chinese proverb of the person who

chases two rabbits catches neither

329

I, I've been chasing two rabbits.

330

I'm been chasing five or more.

331

Maybe you have as well.

332

And I've always known that when

I simplify, when I focus in, I

333

get a lot further, a lot faster.

334

And so I'm here to do that.

335

I'm here to have what I

want, but not all at once.

336

I might end up being a little quieter

for a while, but if you don't hear from

337

me, you just imagine me somewhere with

a microphone, a story, and hopefully

338

a a, a check going into the bank.

339

And, and I wanna hear from you as well.

340

Is this maybe giving you some thoughts

about focusing in a little bit more

341

and going all in on something to

do the sprint and make some action

342

Because plus big action sprints

are not, they're not something that

343

we can continue on and on and on.

344

We can't hustle and

grind all the time, but.

345

When we focus in on something like

that, when we take other things off our

346

plate and give ourselves that ability

to say, sorry, this is what I'm doing.

347

This is all that matters, and these

are the things that I know will get me

348

results in doing that, and you're doing

those things, you should be starting to

349

see some results and action from that.

350

If you don't know what the things are that

are gonna help you get results with this,

351

well maybe you and I should have a chat.

352

but reach out.

353

I'd love to, to help you get more clarity

on that as well, Whether it's just a, a, a

354

quick 30 minute chat to help you get a bit

more clarity or whether you're thinking,

355

oh, maybe I need a bit more than that.

356

Either way, you can get in touch

and let's have the conversation.

357

Let's see if it can help you get

that clarity, because it's time to go

358

all in for me and maybe for you too.

359

I'd like to keep you informed on the

journey, so keep following me on LinkedIn,

360

on YouTube or following the podcast where,

wherever you're tuning in, and I'll keep

361

you posted on everything that's going on.

362

I'll say this as well before I

wrap things up, it's been very

363

important to me to have support and

encouragement from people in my life.

364

And without that, it could be very hard.

365

Now, now, my husband sometimes worries

about where things are going and,

366

and what's coming up for the future.

367

Whilst we are okay for everything,

he's like the future, our future

368

security and stuff plays on his mind.

369

He doesn't get all of it.

370

He supports me and is, supportive

of everything I'm doing.

371

My family, my parents, they don't get

everything, but they're supportive.

372

And my friends who do, a lot

of them do get this a lot more,

373

are also incredibly supportive.

374

I

375

I feel like I'm very lucky that I don't

have people in my life who are telling

376

me I can't do this or I shouldn't

do this, and certainly I ha I have

377

been in that place before in my life.

378

If that's where you are right now,

you need someone on your side and

379

if I can be that person for you.

380

Out and let me know.

381

I will be that person for you.

382

Get in touch if you are struggling

to get focused in on something,

383

you recognizing, oh, I really

struggle with this focus thing too.

384

I'm trying to do too many things at once.

385

I've got that entrepreneurial guilt.

386

I'm hoping that something will happen.

387

I just need to get there, get

somewhere, get something going on.

388

Let's have a chat.

389

You know, I'm not trying to get you

into coaching or anything of that.

390

Just to help you get a little

more clarity, reach out.

391

Lemme know.

392

I'll have details for

how you can contact me.

393

LinkedIn's one of the best

ways, but you can contact me

394

through the website as well.

395

or you can directly get in touch with me.

396

website, LinkedIn, email.

397

All of that is gonna be in the

show notes in the description.

398

Check that out.

399

Drop me a line if I can help you.

400

No strings, no commitment.

401

But wouldn't it be good to have someone

on your side, especially if you don't

402

right now, wouldn't it be good to

have a bit more clarity about what you

403

should be focusing in on and what's

gonna make the biggest difference

404

to your growth going forward, and

maybe even someone supporting you and

405

encouraging you to do all those things?

406

If that sounds good to you,

get in touch either way.

407

Stay tuned, stay connected to what's going

on, LinkedIn, whether that's on LinkedIn,

408

YouTube, or, or the audio podcast.

409

I'm gonna keep posting the progress.

410

I look forward to speaking and, and

I'm gonna be bringing you, an interview

411

sing with a lady called Merri Khan.

412

Mari's.

413

Lovely.

414

we talked a lot about the,

the comedy, the humor stuff.

415

In speaking, I think you're gonna

really get a lot of value from that,

416

especially if you want to be a little

bit more funny and engaging on the stage.

417

She's like doing a one woman show,

which is incredible, and, you're

418

gonna love the conversation.

419

Lovely dating, lots of great stuff.

420

We had a really fun chat

and I think you're gonna get

421

some value out of it as well.

422

So st tuned into the show and for the

other amazing guests that we've got

423

coming up, have a great rest of your

day and amazing rest of your week.

424

I'll speak soon.

425

Byebye.