reading

“Isaiah Hankel has written an absurdly motivating book. In fact, it’s so motivational, I was constantly tempted to put the book down and start getting things done using Hankel’s strategies. It was put-down-able in the best possible way. But I always came back for more of Isaiah Hankel’s wisdom—and the wisdom he distills from Einstein, Ben Franklin and even The Shawshank Redemption.”

AJ Jacobs, Author of Four New York Times Bestselling Books; Editor at Large, Esquire Magazine

“Black Hole Focus is a wake up call for anyone who feels stuck, distracted, or lost in their own life. Isaiah lays out very actionable steps for taking control of your future and setting yourself up for certain victory. This book will show you how to think like an entrepreneur and develop the mindset necessary for achieving your biggest dreams.”

Lewis Howes, Former Professional Football Player and Host of The School of Greatness

“Be careful if you read this book. Through interesting stories, compelling case studies and his own inspiring journey, Hankel demolishes your excuses and lays out a plan to identify and fulfill your life’s purpose.”

Clay Hebert, Founder of Crowdfunding Hacks and Spindows; The Mastermind Behind Over 35 Successful Kickstarters

“Black Hole Focus is your road map to transformation in ways most have never even dared to dream. If you want to go from merely living a life to becoming the hero in your own adventure, start here. Hankel’s words jump off the page, swat you on the backside, pierce your heart, and take you on a ride into a magical journey of your own design! Brilliant in its brunt, dazzling in its denouement, triumphant in its precision, this is one of the most important books you will ever read. Prepare to be transformed!”

Dr Gina Loudon, Fox News Contributor and Syndicated Host of SmartLife; Author of What Women REALLY Want

“As a memory champion, I realize just how important it is to harness your mental energy and focus it in a way that helps you to achieve your goals. I’m very impressed with Black Hole Focus and strongly believe that it can help you learn to harness your mental energy and focus it like a laser in order to achieve incredible success in business and personal endeavors.”

“In fighting and in life, focus is what separates winners from losers. Focus is what helped me win the UFC TUF Championship. Any successful mixed martial artist will tell you that seeing yourself as a champion is the first step to becoming a champion. You have to start with a vision. You have to start at the end. That’s why I love this book, because it tells you to start at the end and work backwards. Black Hole Focus is an amazing read because it helps people create a vision for their lives and then it shows them how to achieve their vision. The book makes you see yourself at the top of the podium and then it gives you a detailed training plan to help you get there. If you want to be a champion, buy this book. Black Hole Focus will show you how to win.”

“Isaiah demonstrates a powerful lesson, that we are all masters of our own destiny. His book provides practical and, more importantly, actionable advice on how to reach our most important goals while consistently achieving lifelong career and personal satisfaction. Early career scientists would especially benefit from its stepwise, methodical approach to fearless self-examination and keen demonstration of an intensely focused purpose. The chapters on storytelling strike at the heart of the of the dilemma most scientists and professionals have, that they are impostors in their own field and are undeserving of happiness and accolades. As Isaiah explains, this couldn’t be further from the truth once you recognize the lessons to be learned from past incidents and begin to tell a new story of perseverance and accomplishment.”

James Gould, PhD, Director of Harvard Medical School Office for Postdoctoral Fellows

“A brilliantly written step-by-step process to help you learn what you really want in life and exactly how to get it. Read this book if you want to get focused, find your purpose and change your life.”

“Black Hole Focus is exceptionally well written and the examples found throughout the book are terrific in showing the reader how to quickly implement each concept. Isaiah shares very engaging personal stories, striking the right balance in showing his humanity without coming being overly instructive.”

“Stuck! That was the word echoing in my head. I was trapped in a difficult career decision and unable to focus on what I really wanted. That’s when Black Hole Focus sucked me in. I seriously couldn’t put it down. I remember sitting up late one night flipping through chapter after chapter and then writing out a 10-page list of my biggest dreams and “daily actions.” I was more inspired than I’ve ever been. But that wasn’t the best part. The best part was that this book gave me an action plan for achieving my goals. It showed me how to find my purpose and then it showed me how to fulfill it. Black Hole Focus has been a game-changer for me.”

“Black Hole Focus is incredibly powerful. Isaiah magically combines personal stories, case studies, and scientific data to create an compelling and life-changing book. Isaiah is so open and so vulnerable that you can’t help but feel a sense of security, trust, and inspiration all at once as you read. I’ve never read a book that so clearly defined how to make a lasting change in your life. This book will knock you right out of your chair—you’ll be sucked into a new way of thinking and a new way of living. Black Hole Focus is intellectual, entertaining, and personal. It’s the kind of book that you wait your whole life to read.”

“If you’ve been searching for the key that unlocks the real secret to a fulfilling and successful life, then you’ve picked up the right book at the right time. I have been involved in personal development for over 20 years, dedicated to changing lives and helping people achieve greatness. Throughout this time I have been able to study people up close. One thing that stands out is that all successful people possess a powerful purpose. Each of us has greatness just waiting to be recognized and tapped into. In Black Hole Focus, Isaiah provides you with the step-by-step process to unlocking your greatness.

“Isaiah sets out in simple steps what needs to be done. He walks his talk. He lives his purpose and lives a life most people would envy. He proves that anyone, from anywhere, can be truly successful no matter what their past or where they began.

“He gives you the tools to experience life to its fullest by discovering your true potential, uncovering your passion and igniting the desire to make a difference to the world. As you read this book, take note of Isaiah’s advice, trust the process and immediately follow his directions at the end of each chapter. Then be ready for the miraculous transformation that happens in your life.

“If you are serious about living life to it’s fullest, the book you are holding can take you there. Begin your journey now and reap the rewards it has to offer. This is a start of a new beginning.”

Joh Graney, Managing Director of Joh Graney Leadership Systems and Author of Painting the Dream

“Black Hole Focus reveals a concrete methodology for creating a powerful purpose through structured and comprehensive steps, wittily described in short and clear paragraphs, and sensibly illustrated with personal examples and case studies from several successful people. This book is a required reading for anyone committed to achieving greatness in life.”

Elison Matioli, PhD, Research Scientist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

“Isaiah Hankel is a powerhouse of ideas and ambitions. Black Hole Focus is an intense self-analysis without concern for collateral damage.”

“Black Hole Focus cuts to the chase while delivering huge value. Nailing your passion is not a nice to have, it’s a must have and Isaiah helps you find and leverage it.”

Craig Morantz, Co-Founder, President and COO Shifthub; Investor and Marketing Advisor at CrowdCare Corporation

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This book is for everyone who helped me Create A Powerful Purpose For My Life. I could not have done this without you.

To my family: John, Karen, Noah, and Jessica, for supporting me long before I had an Escape Plan. Thank you all for Energizing My Dreams. I love you very much.

To Josh and Josh Birt Productions for always helping me Ruthlessly Evaluate My Current Position. To Craig for helping me Develop a Can-Do Mindset. And to Laura for helping me Set Short-Term Benchmarks when I’d rather be doing anything else.

To Matt H. and the rest of Team Bring: Clete, Nic, Matt D., and TC, for helping me break the 10,000-Hour Rule and Avoid Willpower Depletion. You are proof that once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy.

To Team Cheeky, past, present, and future. Thank you for helping me Build Rome Around My Safety Net. To Garett, Lindsey, Aja, Matt G., and Michael for sharing your inspiring stories.

To my friends at ExCyte for helping me Think Inside the Box and Move Laterally. To my friends at Tree Star for helping me Manipulate Reality and see the world for the first time.

To Jayson and my new MMT friends for all of your invaluable advice and for showing me how to Connect Without Getting Lost in the Crowd.

To Nils and Command + Z Content, and Ryan, Brent, and everyone at Story Ark for helping me take this book to the next level.

To Holly and everyone at Capstone for believing in this book and helping me bring it to life.

It is such a privilege to be asked to write this foreword. Isaiah is a wonderful and rare person who not only wants to make a difference in this world, but is prepared to do whatever it takes to make that a reality. He is the living embodiment of this book.

I first came across Isaiah when he reached out to me on Twitter – I had just proudly published a photo of 50 Cent reading my last book, Stop Talking, Start Doing. In true Isaiah style, he tweeted me back – with a picture of himself reading my book whilst doing a handstand – along with a cheeky statement: “Bet he can’t do this!” Now, I don’t know whether 50 Cent can do that or not, but what I do know is that Isaiah got my attention and kept it. He created a relationship and put time and effort into building it. When I announced I was going to get all the big publishers together and run an event in London to teach other people how to create their own non-fiction bestseller, Isaiah was the first to book, even though he was living in Boston! Then, of course, he put everything he learnt into action and turned it into the wonderful and life changing book you find in your hands right now.

There are many books dedicated to finding our “purpose” in life, but none that lay out the benefits, consequences and crucially *how* you actually find that purpose as clearly as Isaiah does. This book demonstrates a strong correlation between being aligned with our purpose and living longer. So, yes, this really is a matter of life or death.

When I used to talk about “purpose” it conjured up images of yogis or social entrepreneurs who were changing the world. For sure, those people are likely to be more on purpose that the average Joe, but creating a powerful purpose and a fulfilled life is not something reserved for a particular “type” of person. It is available for everyone, as long as we make the conscious decision that that is how we want to live.

Once you are clear on what you want and crucially “why” you want it, your vision turns into a decision. So now it’s your turn to get clear, to discover your why, to find your purpose and to take action.

“Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does. It is up to you to give [life] a meaning.”

Jean-Paul Sartre

Growing up I spent my summers working on a sheep farm in the Pacific Northwest. I learned how to feed lambs, inject farm animals with anti-tick medication, build electrical fences, operate backhoes, drive tractors, and, of course, shear sheep. Once a year, usually in June, my boss would hire a shearer to visit the farm and shear over a hundred head of sheep in the same day.

You might imagine rounding up over a hundred animals and funneling them through a scary metal door toward a large man wielding an extremely loud and sharp buzzing device would be difficult. But, in reality, that isn’t the case. Shearing sheep is pretty easy. This is because sheep aren’t very smart. In fact, sheep are pretty stupid.

My job, on sheep shearing day, involved herding the sheep out of the pasture and into the large triangular cage. To do this, two or three other farmhands and I would circle behind the sheep, each of us holding two large sticks. We would position ourselves so that the sheep were between the triangular cage and us. Next, we would start banging the sticks together and walking towards the cage. Did I mention that sheep are terrified of everything, especially sticks?

The herd’s reaction was always the same: one sheep would hear the banging sticks and take off running in the opposite direction, and immediately every other sheep would follow. The entire herd would run into the triangular pen. They did the work for us. All we had to do was keep banging the sticks and walking towards the gate.

Once the herd was inside, I would lure each sheep forward, inch by inch, with carrots and other treats. By the time a sheep was at the metal door, it was too late for it to escape. The sheep was cornered by the weight of the others. Its only option was to go through the door, where it would be pinned down and have its woolen fleece expertly removed. The shearing process wasn’t painful—but still, the sheep hated it.

Sheep are the ultimate tacticians. They only respond to two things: sticks being banged behind them and carrots being held out in front of them. This is why it’s so easy to shear sheep. Their herd mentality and lack of foresight make it very easy to funnel them down a narrow track until they are stuck; trapped by their own tactical nature. But sheep aren’t the only animals that get stuck by groupthink and nearsightedness. It happens to humans too.

When we live our lives within the herd and without farsighted vision—like sheep instead of strategists—we end up trapped. Feeling trapped in a situation or bound by your circumstances is one of the worst feelings in the world. It can feel like you’re slowly rotting while everyone else is getting ahead. The good news is that no matter how far down the tactical rabbit hole you have traveled, it’s never too late to start thinking like a strategist. A strategist is someone who can see the end from the beginning and who acts independently from other people’s expectations. A strategist is someone who maps out their purpose in life and works backwards to fulfill that purpose.

My life as a sheep

I was getting my PhD in Anatomy & Cell Biology at the University of Iowa when I realized I was stuck. I didn’t want to be in school anymore. I had spent the last ten years chasing carrots and running from sticks, and had finally reached my dead end. I always wanted to be a doctor. But why? Had I just spent a decade chasing a shiny title?

Throughout high school and college, I chased awards and recognitions, like honor roll student, valedictorian, graduate, and PhD candidate. I followed a high-achieving path, doing the pre-med thing, volunteering at hospitals (because it looked good on applications), majoring in biology (because everyone else did), taking the MCAT, taking the GRE, getting my bachelors degree, applying to medical school, doing an internship, applying to graduate school, check, check, check, check. I checked every box I was supposed to without ever really asking myself where I was headed and why I was headed there.

Now, in my fifth year of graduate school, I realized I had never really given much thought to what PhDs did on a day-to-day basis either; I just liked the idea of being a doctor. My future was like a hazy dream, one that I only looked at for a few seconds every year. In the dream I was surrounded by money and beautiful women; peons beneath me called me “Doctor” and did my bidding (it was awesome). I didn’t know exactly where I was going, but I knew one thing for sure: I would be happy when I got there.

Not so much. Getting a PhD is not what it used to be. PhD professors are 45% less likely to be tenured since the 1970s.¹ And if you are a recent PhD graduate or a postdoc, your chances of becoming a tenured professor drop to the single digits. Plus, life at large universities for most professors is miserable. They spend their time writing grant proposals and begging the government for money. Meanwhile, funding for big grants like R01 awards has dropped 18%.²

The Principal Investigator (PI) in my lab was one of these unhappy academics and we, his postdocs and graduate students, bore the brunt of his frustrations. While I was a student in his lab, he successfully fired or kicked out one postdoc, one technician, and two graduate students. He verbally abused both the technician and graduate students for months before they left. It was common to see his students crying in the back corners of the cafeteria lounge after meeting with him. The odd thing about academia is PhD professors are completely in control of their students’ futures, yet they never receive any kind of management or interpersonal skills training.

I realized I did not want to be a professor. But I still didn’t know what I wanted to be. More importantly, I didn’t know who I wanted to be. As smart as I claimed to be, I never sat down to define a purpose for my life. As a result, I was stuck. I tried talking to my PI, who was also my advisor, about pursuing a career track outside of academia, but he didn’t want anything to do with it. In graduate school, if at any time you decide you don’t want to be a professor, you’re labeled a failure. You instantly become the black sheep and, as a result, are quickly blacklisted.