Copyright © 2018 by Wiley. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600, or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with the respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom.
For general information about our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762-2974, outside the United States at (317) 572-3993, or fax (317) 572-4002.
Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is Available:
ISBN 9781119390466 (Hardcover)
ISBN 9781119390480 (ePDF)
ISBN 9781119404385 (ePub)
Cover Design: Wiley
This may sound crazy, but I love chaos. I love noise. We all do. But noise is terrible for focus. Focus matters. The what, when, and why of focus shapes every part of our life. In a world where no one can focus on anything, being capable of it is an increasingly critical and unorthodox differentiator.
If you were to read my resume, the last thing you would think is “this guy is focused.” I've always had an unorthodox approach to business and life in general. I have had a rap career (YouTube Jesse Jaymes for proof). I cofounded a private jet company that we sold to Warren Buffett. I partnered on a coconut water venture that was bought by Coca-Cola. Most recently, I hired a Navy SEAL to live with my family and wrote a book about the journey called Living with a SEAL.
Regardless of the optics, focusing on what's important is perhaps the single guiding tenant of every major life decision and stage. Life is too short to waste it on the unimportant. Yet the potential for distraction is always there for me. And I've fallen into that trap many times. I still do. That's why I recently went to live in a monastery. To get away from all the distractions. To shut off all the noise. However, living in a monastery isn't a realistic solution for most of us. That's what I love about the book you have in your hands.
Curt Steinhorst was introduced to me as someone who could help me focus my speech messages. He, in turn, helped me focus what I stand for. He is thoughtful. Not only as someone who has thrived in the distraction age – founding four successful start-up companies, speaking internationally on distraction and leadership – but as someone who has wrestled with the beast of distraction his entire life. Curt is not merely showing us how to cope. He knows distraction. Curt has not only had to overcome ADD, he has learned to overcome ADD in a time when the entire world has become immediately available, and he, in turn, immediately available to the world. Curt has not only learned to manage the demands of constant connection and technology, he has overcome them.
I like to encourage others: March to the beat of your own bongo drum. Can I Have Your Attention? is pioneering a new mindset. It's far too easy to let the noise of the world dictate the futures of our family, organization, community, and personal life. We can and must make intentional decisions about where we focus our attention, and put it toward the important things. That starts with you. I often remind others that they must cut the pie before sharing it. Take control of your time. You'll be surprised how much time you have to give to your family, your friends, your business when you eliminate the nonessentials. This book helps us get there.
