3 'Mental Hacks' To Improve Focus That Every Entrepreneur Should Know Here's how to gain an edge in the competitive global marketplace

When it comes to being an entrepreneur, the focus and productivity levels will make or break you. Even just a 10 per cent advantage can be the difference between a wildly successful initial public offering, and having to close up shop.

With such wild competition in the business world, being able to focus and improve productivity are becoming more and more important—and as the world becomes more globally connected, your competition will only grow fiercer.

Any entrepreneur knows this, and we're also willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. So, with that in mind, here are the top "mental hacks' that every entrepreneur who wants her business to succeed should know.

Use Nootropics (Like Silicon Valley Executives)

It's no secret that Silicon Valley executives have been using nootropics like modafinil for years to gain an edge in the market. What most people don't know, however, is that there's many other nootropics available to use, as well.

While the idea of using nootropics to boost productivity, improve focus, and increase energy levels might be off-putting to some, there's a lot of clinical research to back the effectiveness of nootropics.

In fact, according to Healthline, these nootropics have been clinically proven to work, and have several research studies backing their safety and efficacy:

• Caffeine
• L-Theanine
• Creatine
• Bacopa Monnieri
• Rhodiola Rosea
• Panax Ginseng
• Ginkgo Biloba
• Nicotine
• Modafinil
• …and more

To improve focus, many entrepreneurs use nootropics such as caffeine, nicotine, Noopept, and modafinil to start. While modafinil is only available with a doctor's prescription, many of these other nootropics can be bought over the counter.

For memory, others use Bacopa Monnieri, Lion's Mane, and Gingko Biloba to gain an edge. While they may not turn you into a genius with superhuman intelligence, even a slight improvement in your memory will yield big results in your business.

Are you tired and stressed from too much work? Then why not try some GABA, Ashwagandha, or 5-HTP, as many entrepreneurs are doing these days. The fact of the matter is that many entrepreneurs are using nootropics to get ahead in the workplace, and if you're not doing so, you may have some fierce competition.

Use the Wim Hof Method

You may or may not have heard of Wim Hof before. If you haven't, he's a 58-year-old Dutch man who holds 26 world records for physical feats, one of which is for taking the longest ice bath in the world. Yes, that's right—this old man was able to spend almost two hours, completely immersed in a bath of ice.

He's also climbed both Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro while wearing nothing but shorts and a pair of shoes. So, what's the secret to these incredible feats? How does he have such superhuman resistance to cold, despite his age?

He accredits his physical toughness to his "Wim Hof Method," which is a series of breathing exercises that flood the brain and body with oxygen. Combined with cold showers, some of the benefits he touts are improved physical performance, reduced anxiety levels, and even improved happiness levels.

While many people are skeptical that simply breathing a different way can yield such incredible benefits, almost everyone who tries his method reports better focus, more productivity, less anxiety, and a whole host of other benefits.

Leverage the Focal Point System

While much has been said about productivity before, most people still waste endless time on menial tasks, like checking emails, browsing social media, and making minor improvements to their business that yield almost no results.

One great concept regarding productivity is based around a book called Focal Point by Brian Tracy. The idea is simple: only focus on the tasks that are going to bring about the most return on your time investment. Despite its simplicity, most people neglect this concept, and focus on low return on investment activities.

The Focal Point System divides tasks into five categories, of descending priority:

• A Tasks (Very Important and Impactful)
• B Tasks (Important, But Less Impactful)
• C Tasks (Nice to Accomplish, But Not Necessary)
• D Tasks (Something to Delegate or Outsource)
• E Tasks (Something of No Importance)

An "A Task' would be something like signing a client onto a $50 million contract, whereas a "B Task' might be something like going to the gym. They're both important, but going to the gym is less impactful on your business.

A "C Task' would be something along the lines of getting a new client, because even though it may help your business, it isn't necessary if you just get the $50 million contract to begin with. "D Tasks' and "E Tasks' are small things, like checking emails, following up on a phone call, or printing out business cards.

Most entrepreneurs focus on the "B Tasks', and "C Tasks', when they should really be focusing on the "A Tasks', and "B Tasks'. You should aim to either ignore, outsource, or automate everything else, for maximum productivity.

As Steve Jobs once said: "People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are." This could not be more accurate.

One of the biggest keys to productivity is focusing on the 20 per cent of tasks that are going to bring about 80 per cent of your results (also known as the Pareto Principle). By simply viewing the world through this "Focal Point System' lens, you can easily save hours of time each day, and get twice as much done in half the time.