The Power of 6 Inches in Front of Your Face

Ever felt overwhelmed by a mountain of tasks, unsure where to even start? It’s a familiar feeling for most of us, whether in business or in life. The to-do lists seem endless, the goals far out of reach. That’s when the “6 inches in front of your face” concept comes into play.

The idea is simple: focus on what’s right in front of you—the immediate, small steps you can take—rather than getting lost in the big picture.

One Topic: 6 inches in front of your face

This concept was famously highlighted in Al Pacino’s speech in Any Given Sunday. He explains that life is a game of inches, and winning or losing often depends on those tiny, seemingly insignificant steps that are directly within your reach. It’s a powerful metaphor for staying present and making consistent progress.

The Science Behind Narrowing Your Focus

Our brains aren’t built for endless multitasking. Studies show that when we focus on smaller, immediate tasks, we reduce cognitive overload and improve our ability to complete more complex goals over time.

The concept of “chunking” – breaking down large tasks into smaller, actionable steps – is rooted in cognitive psychology. By focusing on what’s manageable, you reduce stress and improve productivity.

Harvard Business Review has found that employees who break tasks down into small, achievable goals tend to feel more accomplished and experience less burnout. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done, they make progress inch by inch, task by task.

How to Apply This to Your Daily Life

Start by identifying the “6 inches” in front of you – the next immediate action you can take.

Let’s say you’re working on a long-term project. Rather than getting lost in the end goal, focus on what you can accomplish today. Maybe it’s drafting an outline, sending an email, or making one phone call. You’re not aiming to finish the project all at once; you’re aiming to move it forward by one small step.

Consider the example of a marathon runner. They don’t focus on the 26 miles ahead of them; they focus on the next step, the next breath. By doing this, they conserve energy, reduce anxiety, and eventually, cross the finish line.

Make Progress, Not Perfection

The key to achieving big goals is consistency, not perfection.

Don’t wait for the perfect moment or the perfect conditions—just start with what you have and where you are. Your focus should be on making progress, even if it’s just inch by inch. By staying present and breaking things down into smaller steps, you’ll find that even the most daunting tasks become achievable over time.

So the next time you feel overwhelmed, take a deep breath, and focus on the 6 inches in front of your face. You’ll be amazed at how much progress you can make when you take it one step at a time.

Read last week’s JustDraft newsletter about learning is doing not watching.

Two Quotes

The greatest journeys aren’t defined by miles but by the inches you move forward every day.

In the pursuit of success, the inches you control are more powerful than the miles you dream of.

One Passage

Flow is a mental state where peak performance is possible, and achieving this state requires that you focus intensely on what’s in front of you and block out everything else. When you prioritize deep work, you’re prioritizing meaningful output over shallow distractions. Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not. When you focus deeply on what’s immediately in front of you, you channel your energy and eliminate distractions.

📚 From “Deep Work” by Cal Newport.