Focus! (or lack there of...)

[gobytrain]

Ok, as I'm trolling this message board, I'm keenly aware of my biggest problem, the inability to stay focused on tasks to accomplish my goals (even the ones I enjoy or want to do).

My second biggest is being confident of what task is actually important and what isn't (but I'm pretty sure it's not websurfing).

I've read plenty of quotes from successful people about how they can work with blinders on to all the non-essentials. It's a concept that's completely foreign to me, and I'm having a hard time filtering, and then staying on course.

I'll also find myself feeling confident that I'm on task, but later to realize that I had delved in way to deep into minutia (esp. when it comes to organizing...).

One disclaimer, I am ADD, which obviously is huge contributor to this problem, but I suspect that even without ADD focus is a challenge. Having been diagnosed with ADD later (in my 20's) I've also learned a lot of bad "coping" habits, which can lead to hyper-focus.

One of the things I noticed that Ferriss really does well is his ability to not get sidetracked, and to know when a path of inquiry is unfruitful or unrelated. If you have that trait, what does it feel like? I'm half joking, but I'm also seriously curious as to what that looks like!

This is by far the one thing that's really holding me back.

Does anyone have any good suggestions or experiences they're willing to share? Can anyone relate?

[gobytrain]

Here's an example of what I'm talking about. It's an interview (http://money.cnn.com/2007/03/20/pf/funds/bogle.moneymag/index.htm?postversion=2007032010)with Jack Bogle, founder of the Vanguard group of funds.

"Even as a little boy, I had determination and focus. If there was a job to be done, then that is what I would think about, going through life with blinders on. You can look ahead, but you have no peripheral vision."

There's also another cool quote from him (not so much focus related, but 4HWW related):

Question
Vanguard is a not-for-profit company. If you'd organized it differently, you'd be a billionaire today. Any regrets?

Answer
I read this story recently: There's a big cocktail party on Martha's Vineyard. Someone comes up to this writer, I think it's Joseph Heller [author of "Catch-22"], and says, "Joe, see that guy over there? He's a hedge fund manager, and he made more money yesterday than you made on all the books you have ever published."

Heller looks over, pauses and says, "Yeah, but I have something he'll never have: enough."