Do you have a bunch of things you want to focus on doing?

Me too.

I want to speak, write books, make movies, rap, DJ, dance, learn languages, build businesses, perform magic, and more…

How can we earn the right to create in multiple fields?

In this week’s episode of Sideweight Radio, we will take the information gathered from feedback and focus our value. First, we will examine why focusing our value is important. Then, I will share 5 tools that will help you both feel more focused and cut through the noise.

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Why You Need to Focus Your Value

You must express your value with the first impression if you want to scale your creativity.

That being the case, skillfully focusing your value directs the audiences’ attention where you want.

Your best bet is to scale your creativity with your dominant talent because it will reduce the necessary time investment.

Remember:

Talent x Time = Strength

Once you scale your dominant talent, you earn the freedom to explore your creativity in the many forms it manifests.

5 Tools to Focus Your Value

Tagline
Elevator Pitch
Visualizations
Focus Sheet
Portfolio

1) Tagline

Summarize what you do in one short phrase.

When someone asks you, “What do you do?” the go-to response is your tagline, so it better be good.

My personal tagline is, “Exploring Self Realization.”

If someone were to ask me, “What do you do, Mike?” I would respond, “I explore self realization.”

Whoever asked, more often than not, will ask me to elaborate.

Why is this response so intriguing?

They want to know more because most people define themselves with their occupation, not their vocation.

3 good examples of taglines:

Michael Hyatt: Helping Leaders Leverage Influence
Tim Ferriss: Experiments in Lifestyle Design
Jake Jorgovan: Inspiring Creatives to Launch Their Career

Getting this right will require trail and error. I have gone through several in the past. My last one was, “Adventures in Movement, Positivity, and Music.” Nobody knew what that meant.

A real challenge is making sure your audience easily understands the core message. Nobody knew what “Adventures in Movement, Positivity, and Music,” means. Whereas, “Exploring Self Realization” is self explanatory.

2) Elevator Pitch

One of the goals of your tagline is to spark interest. They should ask you to tell them more. Now you opened the door for your elevator pitch.

Now that you have answered their what, you must share WHO, WHY, HOW, WHEN & WHERE.

WHO: Describe who your market is and their collective pain.
WHY: Explain why you are qualified to help them.
HOW: Share the various ways you help your market.
WHEN & WHERE: Let them know where and when they can get involved.

Here’s mine for example:

I find most people between 18 and 30 feel confused. They have a feeling of what they want to be doing, but they find themselves doing something different than their true desires. Between social and financial pressures, creating their dream lifestyle seems unrealistic.

My dad built the life of his dreams. As a father, he passed down the wisdom he used to do so. This cultivated within me both a deep curiosity and an admiration of dreamers and doers. I have studied adventurers, artists, entrepreneurs, and philosophers throughout my life.

Now, I share the lessons I have been learning as I build my own creative enterprise via speaking, podcasting, blogging, and writing.

You can go on your phone right now to my website, http://MikeMark.Me, to learn more.

3) Visualization

Images are some of the most powerful tools to focus your mind.

Use your imagination. Time travel 20 years into the future and pay a visit to yourself. Where are you? What do you see? Ask your future-self how you got to that point.

Put together a visualization board. My visualization board images inspired me to get a beautiful girlfriend, to live in Spain, to live in NYC, and to learn piano basics.

Imagine where you want to be. Step forward into it.

“Everything you can imagine is real.” – Pablo Picasso

4) Focus Sheet

Goals help us turn focus into laser focus.

My friend, Jake Jorgovan has developed the Focus Sheet. This tool enables you to keep an eye on your goals for today, tomorrow, the week, the month, the quarter, and a someday/maybe.

I personally have been using it, and it helps keep me on track with all my goals over varying periods of time. I have found it most helpful with my weekly deliverables.

5) Portfolio

Compile your best works in one place. When someone takes a look at your work, the first impression will be make or break. Focus their attention on the best you have to offer.

Clients don’t care as much about the quantity as they do the quality. It is better to show 2-3 amazing pieces of work than 10 mediocre ones.” – Jake Jorgovan

Client’s don’t care as much about quantity as they do quality. It is better to show 2-3 amazing pieces of work than 10 mediocre ones. – See more at: http://jake-jorgovan.com/blog/building-blocks#sthash.mMgT54P3.dpuf

Remember, you portfolio should be constantly evolving. Keep it up to date with your latest and greatest.