What Does It Actually Mean To Be Focused? (2149)

In this fun and fiery episode of Next Level University, hosts Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros reveal how focus fuels your identity, momentum, and long-term success. You’ll hear Alan’s “success loop” that connects what you listen to with how you think, act, and ultimately grow. They get real about the cost of distractions, the power of consistency, and why being intentional with your attention can change everything. Tune in and take back control of your focus.

Free 30-minute Business Breakthrough Session with Alan -https://calendly.com/alanlazaros/30-minute-free-breakthrough-session?month=2025-04
Free 30-Minute Podcast Breakthrough Session with Kevin -https://calendly.com/kevinpalmieri/free-30-minute-podcast-breakthrough-session-with-kevin

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NLU is not just a podcast; it’s a gateway to a wealth of resources designed to help you achieve your goals and dreams. From our Next Level Dreamliner to our Group Coaching, we offer a variety of tools and communities to support your personal development journey.

For more information, please check out our website at the link below. 👇

Website 💻  http://www.nextleveluniverse.com

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Email 💬
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Alan@nextleveluniverse.com

LinkedIn ✍
Kevin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/
Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc/

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Show notes:
(2:26) The success loop framework
(5:07) How focus shapes your future
(7:12) Identity and consistency
(8:20) At NLU, your success is our purpose. Join our Monthly Meet-up every first Thursday of the month for tools, insight, and the spark to move forward. https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/NzwOxCMxTDyRJg4CLJS1qg#/registration
(10:22) Mental clutter and distraction
(13:03) Utility thinking and goals
(15:07) Outro

🎙️ Hosted by Kevin Palmieri and Alan Lazaros

Next Level University is a top-ranked daily podcast for dream chasers and self-improvement lovers. With over 2,100 episodes, we help you level up in life, love, health, and wealth one day at a time. Subscribe for real, honest, no-fluff growth every single day.

Chapters

• 2:26 The success loop framework
• 5:07 How focus shapes your future
• 7:12 Identity and consistency
• 8:20 At NLU, your success is our purpose. Join our Monthly Meet-up every first Thursday of the month for tools, insight, and the spark to move forward.
• 10:22 Mental clutter and distraction
• 13:03 Utility thinking and goals
• 15:07 Outro

Transcript

Kevin Palmieri

(0:00) I think focus is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot and it's easy to throw things around, but if we were to take a look from a different lens and dig a little bit deeper, I think we'd learn more about focus, which would teach us more about ourselves.

Alan Lazaros

(0:15) I did this in group coaching recently. (0:18) I'm going to take you through it today. (0:20) It's a success loop and I'm very excited to share it.

Kevin Palmieri

(0:24) Welcome to Next Level University. (0:27) I'm your host, Kevin Palmieri. (0:29) And I'm your co-host, Alan Lazarus.(0:32) At NLU, we believe in a heart-driven but no BS approach to holistic self-improvement for dream chasers.

Alan Lazaros

(0:38) Our goal with every episode is to help you level up your life, love, health, and wealth.

Kevin Palmieri

(0:45) We bring you a new episode every single day on topics like confidence, self-belief, self-worth, self-awareness, relationships, boundaries, consistency, habits, and defining your own unique version of success.

Alan Lazaros

(1:01) Self-improvement, in your pocket, every day, from anywhere, completely free. (1:07) Welcome to Next Level University.

Kevin Palmieri

(1:13) Next Level Nation today for episode number 2,149. (1:18) What does it actually mean to be focused? (1:21) What can I do for you, sir?

Alan Lazaros

(1:22) Could you tell that I almost forgot that was supposed to be a cold open? (1:26) No. (1:26) No, I couldn't tell.(1:28) Yeah, no, I couldn't tell. (1:29) Right in the middle of it, I was like, wait, this is a cold open. (1:32) Wrap it up.(1:32) Wrap it up.

Kevin Palmieri

(1:34) For those who don't know, a cold open, if you ever watch The Office, you know how they just start with the episode, they give you five minutes and then the branded intro comes on. (1:43) A cold open is what we do at the beginning and then it goes into the branded intro. (1:47) We just do them as opposed to having the team take them out because we're trying to get really good at this.(1:51) So if they suck, that means we're not really good at them yet. (1:54) All right. (1:54) What does it actually mean to be focused?(1:56) Why are we doing this episode? (1:58) You wanted to do it and I'm going to give you the floor to set the stage. (2:02) Again, this is going to be like a 15 minute episode.(2:04) We're testing out some stuff. (2:06) We're going to try 15 minutes here.

Alan Lazaros

(2:08) I have 21 clients and I coach them. (2:11) One's four times a week. (2:13) Two of them are three times a week.(2:15) One of them is twice a week and then weekly, bi-weekly, monthly. (2:18) I notice a huge increase in motivation and consistency and discipline when they listen to the show. (2:26) I have a bunch of clients that have on their peak performance tracking system, their habit tracker, NLU slash BGU.(2:35) Sorry, brother. (2:36) They're not podcasters. (2:38) Kev has a podcast.(2:39) It's okay. (2:40) Called Podcast Growth University. (2:41) Nobody's offended at all.(2:42) Next level university and business growth university are far superior.

Kevin Palmieri

(2:49) Podcast Growth University is the second most popular podcast of the use, but yeah, whatever.

Alan Lazaros

(2:56) You know, I'm kidding. (2:58) I'm genuinely, it's probably fire. (2:59) I've never personally listened.

Kevin Palmieri

(3:00) I have listened to your business growth university actually. (3:05) I feel bad now. (3:07) I haven't listened yet.(3:08) I should at some point. (3:09) I really shouldn't. (3:10) There's other things to listen to.

Alan Lazaros

(3:11) Well, at the end of the day, I figure if you know something, you're going to tell me.

Kevin Palmieri

(3:15) So, you know, we work together.

Alan Lazaros

(3:17) That's all the stuff I hide from you.

Kevin Palmieri

(3:18) All the stuff I share there is the stuff I hide from you.

Alan Lazaros

(3:21) Okay. (3:21) Gotcha. (3:21) That's very useful.(3:24) Real talk though, bringing it back to the point of the episode. (3:27) I notice a huge uptick with the clients who listen to NLU every day. (3:32) And that is the point of the podcast.(3:34) This is something I used to not say because it comes off wrong. (3:38) Kev says, don't say that. (3:39) It's, I want your life to get worse when you stop listening to our show.(3:44) And let me say that a different way. (3:47) That is, if your life gets worse when you don't listen to our show, that is the value of our show. (3:55) It's called when you, uh, what's the term?(3:59) There's a math or science term. (4:03) Okay. (4:03) You don't know the value of your AirPods until you fucking lose them.(4:07) It's fair. (4:08) And then you go, Whoa, these workouts without AirPods are way worse. (4:13) You don't know the value of someone or something until you lose it.(4:19) That's so unfortunate, but that is the truth of the human condition. (4:22) If we could go back 300 years ago, you mean he and I's wifi went out last night. (4:26) There's been a lot of stuff going on in new England with the storms and all that dude, our house didn't work.(4:32) Couldn't change the heat. (4:33) The temperature, our thermostats, a smart thermostat. (4:36) I couldn't talk to ALEXA.(4:38) We have them all throughout the house. (4:39) There was a lot of work I couldn't do. (4:41) I had to use my phone, uh, LTE to finish my work, which was super slow in this area.(4:52) My point is when you take NLU out of your life, it should be noticeable. (4:58) And on the flip side of that coin, when you put NLU in your life, it should be noticeable. (5:04) You should be on fire.(5:05) I hope that's the value of our show. (5:07) So my point of this episode was what you listen to you focus on and what you focus on determines what you say, think, do, feel, and believe, and where you invest your time, effort, and money into what person's places, things, and ideas, and that produces your results in life. (5:24) So the success loop that I opened with it's measure the right things.(5:27) So measure track, measure how often you listen to NLU. (5:30) And yes, this is an unapologetic plug. (5:33) I would, it would be hard for me to recommend something other than our show.(5:37) Yeah. (5:37) There's great books. (5:38) Yeah.(5:38) There's other great podcasts. (5:39) I do believe that this is of the most value for you. (5:43) 1% improvement every day in your pocket from anywhere on the planet, completely free.(5:46) The amount of time and effort we put into growing ourselves and learning and putting into this podcast is genuinely ridiculous. (5:52) The fact that this is free. (5:54) So if you measure how often you listen to NLU, like my clients do, then you will focus on these ideas, what you listen to you focus on.(6:06) And if you focus on the right things, you'll invest your time, effort, and money into the right person's places, things, and ideas. (6:12) And then you'll get momentum. (6:13) And when you get momentum, watch out world.(6:15) And then it's just a matter of staying consistent. (6:17) And then, yeah, life does get harder. (6:19) You get to the next level, next level, next level, next level.(6:21) And all of a sudden you have next level problems. (6:22) And that's what we talked about in the last episode.

Kevin Palmieri

(6:24) Well, I think it's easy to drift the opposite of focus. (6:28) I mean, maybe it's unfocused, but you don't necessarily just go from being the most next level version of you to the least next. (6:36) It doesn't work that way.(6:37) You drift. (6:38) It's like, well, I don't know. (6:40) I don't really have to, I'll just skip today.(6:42) I'm just going to skip today. (6:43) Whatever it is what it is. (6:44) And then it's like, well, it's been two days.(6:46) Eh, what's one more day? (6:48) And then you just completely forget what it was like to do it. (6:51) That's why I was saying this on a podcast the other day.(6:55) We were talking about consistency. (6:56) And I said, at the end of the day, the reason consistency eventually is so important is it becomes a part of your identity, which then becomes a part of you. (7:02) And it's easier for you not to miss than it is to miss because you're so focused on, it's easier not to miss than to miss.

Alan Lazaros

(7:11) Nice.

Kevin Palmieri

(7:12) Because it goes against your identity. (7:14) It's like, I cannot fathom a world where we miss an episode. (7:20) It doesn't even, it's not even an option.(7:23) It's not even in my mind. (7:24) It's not possible. (7:25) Now, well, what if you guys both are in the hospital?(7:28) I will record a five minute note, voice note, Alan record a five minute voice note, and then we'll send it to the team and say, can you make that into an episode?

Alan Lazaros

(7:36) I'm coming to the hospital, baby with the mics. (7:38) Whatever. (7:39) Let's rock and roll.(7:40) Are you kidding me? (7:41) We used to travel.

Kevin Palmieri

(7:41) We used to travel, but that is, at this point, it's a part of the identity. (7:46) The identity helps you stay focused too. (7:48) Your identity is helping you stay focused on the right things and or the wrong things, unfortunately, because you want to stay in alignment with what your identity dictates you are.(7:57) Yeah, that's fire.

Alan Lazaros

(7:58) I think who you are, there's three layers of this. (8:01) There's results, there's process, and there's identity. (8:06) And the identity is the, so Kev identifies again as a bodybuilder.(8:13) Why? (8:14) Because he does bodybuilder shit because these, and now he's getting bodybuilder results. (8:18) Biceps.(8:19) Yeah. (8:21) NLU listener, what is happening? (8:24) I just wanted to jump in here and let you know, if you want to get to the next level faster, we have a free virtual monthly meetup at the first Thursday of every month.(8:33) You can connect with like-minded people and become a bigger part of this amazing global community. (8:38) The link to register will be in the show notes. (8:42) What you listen to, what you watch, dude, we all know this.(8:46) You're up at night or wake up in the morning. (8:48) You ever wake up in the morning and you don't want to get out of bed yet. (8:51) Maybe not you.(8:51) I do that. (8:52) No, of course. (8:52) Yes.(8:52) Yes. (8:53) Okay. (8:53) All right.(8:54) And you're just thinking about shit. (8:55) It's like, damn, I shouldn't have watched that stupid fucking video. (8:58) Why am I thinking about this?(8:59) You ever have that? (9:00) Not really. (9:01) No.(9:01) Mind control is very important. (9:03) You should not think about dumb shit. (9:05) That's very bad.(9:06) You only have so much mind power. (9:08) You only have so much willpower. (9:09) You only have so much time and effort and money.(9:11) You do realize everyone I think realizes this. (9:15) You become what you think about. (9:17) So when I'm this morning thinking about stupid shit I shouldn't be thinking about, I'm wasting my time and effort.(9:25) Give me something. (9:25) Give me something. (9:27) What would be an example?(9:29) Oh, I, I always use the example of gladiator too. (9:32) Oh, like I really enjoyed that film a lot. (9:35) A lot of people didn't like it.(9:36) The sharks looked really fake. (9:37) They really did. (9:38) You think they'd figure CGI out in like 2025?(9:40) I know brother. (9:41) Honestly, you know what it is? (9:43) They're, they're budget cutting.(9:44) Yeah. (9:45) It's expensive. (9:45) Yeah.(9:46) It's expensive as shit. (9:47) So we're going back to mummy too with scorpion. (9:49) They could just hire, hire real sharks, you know, I know they couldn't.(9:55) All right. (9:56) So I know we got to jump. (9:58) The, the thing that I was thinking about, about gladiator two and filmmaking and how, how that actor's career has gone and how, what that must be like to go from a no name to a really big actor and how to, how to be in Russell Crowe's shoes.(10:14) And also how Russell Crowe has let himself go so much. (10:17) Like I'm so surprised to see how overweight he is that he must be having some hard mental health challenges or something. (10:22) And, and see how your mind just goes.(10:24) I'm over here thinking about Russell Crowe's life and his career. (10:27) What the fuck am I doing? (10:29) That's really unintelligent.(10:31) I'm not joking. (10:32) This is me being very honest. (10:33) If you're thinking more about other people's career than your own, your own career might suck.(10:38) It is fair. (10:39) I should be focused on growing our company. (10:41) I should be focused on targeting constraints, my own relationship, health, wealth, life, and love.(10:46) Now there's a book called Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess by Dr. Caroline Leaf. (10:51) And we, Amelia gifted it to some of her family members when she, when she had a, wanted to help people grow and maybe thought they wanted to grow more than they really do. (11:01) And they're like, what do you mean?(11:02) You think we have a mental mess? (11:04) And I remember thinking, do you think you don't? (11:07) Everyone has a mental mess.(11:08) Are you kidding me? (11:09) If you could be in someone's head, it's a rat's nest of fucking nonsense, right? (11:15) Dr. Caroline Leaf has a mental mess. (11:16) She's just honest enough to admit it and write a book about it. (11:19) So for me, I'm trying to clean my focus at all times, at all times. (11:24) What you are focusing on is dictating your future.(11:28) What you focus on dictates what you do, say, think, feel, and believe. (11:34) 100%. (11:34) Think of a dog right now.(11:36) That is changing your future right now. (11:39) You could be thinking about anything else in the world, and now you're thinking about a dog. (11:42) If you're out there listening to us, you, we are basically just saying, Hey, Hey, Hey, focus on some important shit.(11:51) Hey, don't forget about your personal development. (11:54) Hey, don't forget about productivity. (11:57) Hey, your future is getting brighter.(11:59) Your present is going to suck. (12:01) Did a hell of a job of selling it. (12:03) The truth is dude, the present is, listen, there is, you invest today for a brighter tomorrow, or you are sad tomorrow.(12:12) That's the way it works.

Kevin Palmieri

(12:13) It is the way it works. (12:14) Yeah, no, it is the way that works. (12:15) Unfortunately.(12:16) It is weird. (12:17) This whole thing is weird.

Alan Lazaros

(12:19) I watched, are you super focused on that? (12:21) Like making sure you don't think about dumb shit? (12:25) Yes.(12:25) And yes.

Kevin Palmieri

(12:28) And no. (12:29) Like you're, you're thinking about golf a lot lately. (12:32) It's like, brother, that's hurting us.(12:33) I know. (12:33) I understand. (12:34) I, we had a conversation about it today.

Alan Lazaros

(12:36) Yeah. (12:36) We had a conversation about it today. (12:37) I'm always focused on what people are thinking about.

Kevin Palmieri

(12:40) What you pay attention to is I'm hyper, I'm hyper focused on learning things that might not always seem of value.

Alan Lazaros

(12:49) That's you're, you're basically taking your only life force and investing it in something that is not a value, but I'm not, it's not optimal value.

Kevin Palmieri

(12:56) I think it's a value. (12:58) It's a value to know. (13:00) What did I watch?(13:00) I watched how something was made the other day. (13:04) I don't remember what it was. (13:06) Oh no.(13:07) I watched, um, the biggest planets in the universe and I was fucking mind blown.

Alan Lazaros

(13:15) Mind blown. (13:16) Okay. (13:17) Real quick.(13:18) Yeah. (13:18) And I know we do have to say not to do that. (13:20) We got to go.(13:21) Yeah. (13:22) Your goals are less likely to occur. (13:25) I agree.(13:26) When you do that because they have nothing to do with your goals, but would you comes your library to learn what you need to learn in order to achieve your goals? (13:37) If you're watching better than watching parks and rec though. (13:39) Yes.(13:40) A hundred percent.

Kevin Palmieri

(13:41) That's my fly.

Alan Lazaros

(13:41) It's a spectrum and I'm not making it wrong. (13:43) Like you guys do what you want. (13:44) Gladiator two.(13:45) I'm not a filmmaker. (13:46) Right. (13:46) Right.(13:47) I'm not, I'm not going to be a filmmaker. (13:48) I'm not in movies. (13:49) I'm not an actor.(13:50) I don't need to study film, but the hero's journey is a value. (13:54) So watching the movie inspires and motivates me for sure. (13:57) That dude motivated the hell out of me in that film.(13:59) It was like, it was powerful. (14:01) It moves me emotionally, but this is utility. (14:03) We'll have another conversation.(14:05) Utility is wildly underappreciated. (14:09) Utility is very important when it comes to goals. (14:12) How useful are you and how useful is what you're thinking about and doing and saying and thinking and believing utility is, is like certain cars.(14:21) You like certain cars. (14:23) One car goes 200 miles an hour or whatever. (14:25) That doesn't have any utility.(14:27) You're not allowed to drive 200 miles an hour. (14:29) So there's no utility. (14:30) It's, it's, it's just an unintelligent use of resources.

Kevin Palmieri

(14:36) Damn. (14:37) Some, some of the funnest stuff's the stuff that doesn't have any utility. (14:40) Of course.(14:41) Yeah. (14:41) You got to take it. (14:42) We've got to be careful.(14:43) We've got to be careful.

Alan Lazaros

(14:43) People don't achieve their goals and dreams, brother.

Kevin Palmieri

(14:45) That is fair. (14:46) That is fair. (14:47) All right.(14:48) All right. (14:48) Look, no fun ever. (14:50) No, no, that's not what I'm saying.

Alan Lazaros

(14:52) I'm kidding. (14:52) I'm teasing.

Kevin Palmieri

(14:53) I'm teasing. (14:53) I'm teasing. (14:53) All right.(14:54) We got to go. (14:55) Happy, what's today? (14:56) Monday.(14:56) Happy Monday. (14:57) I hope you have a great Monday. (14:58) I hope it's the best Monday of your life.(15:00) And I hope you challenge yourself and I hope you get outside of your comfort zone and I hope you grow and I hope you face and overcome resistance. (15:05) My cat just broke into the office, which is great. (15:07) As always, we love you.(15:08) We appreciate you. (15:09) We're grateful for each and every one of you. (15:10) And if you are as focused on growth, as you say you are, make sure you tune in tomorrow, because we will be here to help you get that growth.

Alan Lazaros

(15:19) Keep reaching toward your full potential. (15:21) Next sublimation.

Kevin Palmieri

(15:24) Thanks for joining us for another episode of Next Level University. (15:28) We love connecting with the Next Level family.

Alan Lazaros

(15:31) We mean it when we say family. (15:33) If you ever need anything, please reach out to us directly. (15:37) Everything you need to get ahold of us is in the show notes.(15:40) Thank you again, and we will talk to you tomorrow.