Dandapani: On Learning to Concentrate

For The Curious,

When I came up with the idea of generating a million dollars in new business in roughly two months and calling it, “Million Dollar May,” I had no idea how it would change the very rhythm of my days. As a writer and interviewer for decades, I’ve generally focused on one task at a time. I looked the people I interviewed in the eyes and was totally present in the moment.

Afterward, I returned to my office, where I worked over a keyboard, all alone, for hours in silence. This couldn’t be more different than taking on the life of a CEO. The sales manager of a company I was working with set this change off when he said to me: “Cal, years ago when Apple wanted to sell its product, who went on stage to sell it?”The answer, of course, was Steve Jobs

.The sales manager was telling me that it was my job as CEO of my company to go on stage and sell what my company does. So I did. Now, my phone is dinging and buzzing around the clock and I’m just not used to it. So many things are happening at once that sometimes it feels like my mind is in now fragmented into 500 pieces.

That’s why I sought out my pal, the monk, Dandapani for this week’s episode of Big Questions. I needed to learn how to focus and concentrate in this new zone . . . and the monk had some great advice for me. It’s great advice for you too. If you can point me to companies that need help with their storytelling, please do. And if you have any advice on how I might proceed with my business, please send it along.

Trust me, it will be highly appreciated.

This is turning into a wild story.

Cheers,

Cal