MONK MODE: How To Develop Laser Focus
We indulge in one pointless distraction after another, only to wonder why we never achieve our goals. But there is a solution — monk mode.
I. The Basic Idea
How much of your time is spent on activities that prevent you from achieving your goals?
Those two hours each day watching Netflix.
Taking out your phone at random times during the day to check your Instagram.
Getting drunk with friends on a Saturday night.
Dating around.
In monk mode, you eliminate all of these.
Instead, you invest your time wisely. You build that side hustle you always talk about. You go to the gym every day and get fit. You practice the guitar every day for three hours.
Whatever it is — it finally gets done.
Monk mode acts as a self-development cocoon. You isolate yourself to emerge transformed.
Does that sound radical?
Yes.
Does it work?
Absolutely.
II. Monk Mode Rules
The rules for monk mode are simple — every activity that doesn't contribute to your health, finances, or personal development has to go.
That means:
No social media
No checking the news
No Netflix
No video games
No porn
No pointless socializing
No random dates
No alcohol
No drugs
No junk food
Instead, you dedicate yourself completely to your one thing — the project you want to make progress with the most.
III. My Personal Experiences With Monk Mode
The moderate amount of success I have had, I completely attribute monk monk. That is my "superpower" — shutting out all distractions and going hard on one thing. Here are two examples.
a) Getting My BJJ Black Belt
When I was 23, I fell in love with the sport of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The problem — I was living in Germany at the time, and there were about two schools in the whole country.
So, I went into monk mode.
I imported instructional videos and watched them religiously. I recruited training partners to drill with at home. Simultaneously, I got a scholarship to a university in the US, so I could start training at a legit gym.
Once I got to the States, all I did was study and train. In the little time left, I watched more instructionals. I bought training mats to put in my tiny student room, so I could practice with my girlfriend at home. I also had a very generous coach who offered to teach me privately once a week.
I got my purple belt in 1 year and 11 months, which is very fast.
Back in Germany, I started my own MMA gym and continued training. Eventually, I was awarded my black belt.
Was it because I am such a gifted athlete? No. There were guys who started training with me who were 10 times as talented as I will ever be. Yet, they never got past blue belt. Why? Because they got sidetracked while I went down the rabbit hole.
Focus beats everything.
b) Learning To Talk to Strangers
A few years later, I found myself at a personal crossroads. My relationship of 8+ years had just imploded — mostly my fault — and I had no idea how to go about dating. I lacked the charm, the moxie, and the experience. Feeling terribly depressed didn't help either.
But I had one thing going for myself — I understood the power of monk mode.
So, I started reading up on the subject of dating. Psychological research, self-help books, men's and women's magazines. I interviewed female friends on their viewpoints and roleplayed with them. I went to cafes, bars, and clubs to observe the mating process in action.
But most importantly, I started talking to attractive strangers. In the beginning, just one person a day. Then two. Then three. Eventually, I got to 10 strangers a day. At my peak, I managed to talk to over 10,000 people in 3 years.
It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Especially in the beginning, it felt like an endless string of rejections. It hurt.
But I knew that sticking with monk mode would eventually get me results. And it did. I dated people far above my league. I had all the crazy adventures you can imagine and then some. And eventually, I found love again.
Was it because I am so good-looking or suave? I wish. No, it was simply because I shut everything else out and completely gave myself over to my goal.
IV. A Typical Day in Monk Mode
Here is what a typical day in monk mode looks like for me.
06:30 am. I wake up after about 8 hours of sleep. No alarm. The most important thing I don’t do after waking up — checking my phone.
I will start working on my most important thing right away, oftentimes still in bed. Typically, this first work session lasts for two to three hours.
I usually take at least one break during this first block. It could be taking a shower, doing some chores, or going down to the beach for a swim. This is to get me out of my head before I return to my deep work.
Noon. Take a walk. Eat at a healthy restaurant on the way. I like to take my time with this, around one to two hours. This recharges me for my next sprint of work.
2 pm. More focused work, another two to three hours.
5 pm. Workout. I start with a stretching routine, for general mobility. Then several sets of pull-ups, push-ups, and squat variations, depending on the day.
6 pm. My last work session, usually another two hours. After that, I am mentally fried, but also content. I know that I have made progress today.
8 pm. I check my WhatsApp for 5–10 minutes and reply to some important people in my life. But I make sure to contain this.
After this, I put my phone in silent mode for the night, leave it at home, and go for another walk. Alternatively, I just might sit outside for an hour, go in and out of meditation, or listen to the waves if I am near a beach.
When I return home, I light candles and turn off all artificial lights. Then I eat a healthy dinner and read a little bit.
10 pm. Go to bed.
Doesn't sound particularly sexy, does it? But that's the point — learning to endure the repetitiveness. Because that is what will give you results.
V. Adjusting Monk Mode to Your Life
Naturally, monk mode gets more tricky if you have other responsibilities. Not everybody is single, childless, and works online.
However, there are ways to make monk mode work for you. Specifically, you can play with the length and the frequency of your monk mode bouts.
“Monk of the Hour.” Time-block a few hours each day during which you cut out all distractions. This is akin to what Cal Newport calls “Deep Work.” Good for people with busy lives who still want to experience some of the benefits of monk mode.
“Monk of the Weekend.” As the name suggests — enter into monk mode all weekend. It’s a great way to counterbalance a distracting work week and get some real work done.
“Monk of the Week.” Here you go monk mode during the week and take the weekends off to socialize. This works best if you have a remote job. Otherwise, the workplace will interrupt your state of focus too much.
“Intermittent Monk.” The most popular version of monk mode. You decide on a certain time frame, from one week to six months, during which you go all in on. Once that intense period is over, you are allowed to relax a bit, before you go for the next sprint.
“Seasonal Monk.” Pick a season. Winter in a cold country is ideal for that. When there is not much to do outside, it’s easier to stay at home and get things done.
“Forever Monk.” Real monks take lifelong vows, and so could you. But this is more an ideal to aspire to than an actual lifestyle. You should sometimes take a break and enjoy the fruits of your work.
I want to be clear about one thing, though. To get maximum results, you need to up your time in monk mode and ideally stay in it for extended periods. Doing an hour of deep work each day is a great starting point, but it won't make you world-class at anything. If you want to play in the majors, you need to pay the price.
That was a long one. I am still in Germany, but already planning my next extended trip to SEA. I am even thinking about renting something long-term. Preferably an empty apartment to satisfy my minimalist ways. We'll see.
Until next week,
Niels