Maintaining Focus in Creative Strategy

After my conference talk yesterday, marketers said privately, “We’re overwhelmed." Yesterday, I gave my first conference talk on Google's new "AI Mode" - Google's AI mode uses vector embeddings and deep personalization, changing how marketers approach organic visibility. - Traditional keyword targeting and rank tracking are becoming obsolete. After my talk, some attendees vented their frustrations dealing with so much change all at once. E.g. new AI tools, less traffic, AI search platforms. My advice: Get comfortable operating in two distinct mindsets: 1) Creative exploration — Curiosity-driven brainstorming to uncover ideas for new marketing strategies and applications of AI tools. 2) Focused execution — Ruthlessly narrowing down to the most promising ideas and refining them. Trying to explore creatively and execute strategically simultaneously leads to confusion, inefficiency, and burnout. My approach: Separate your innovation process into two distinct phases. Phase 1: Exploration -> Time for open-ended experimentation with new AI tools and marketing strategies. Phase 2: Focus -> Time to identify the most promising ideas, prioritize aggressively, and commit resources to execution. In my work, I toggle between these modes multiple times per week. This works for me as long as I'm clear about which mode I'm in. Otherwise, I might dive too deep into the weeds in exploration mode or get distracted by a tempting new idea in focus mode. Marketers who are clear on when it's time to explore and when it's time to focus can avoid frustration and innovate as the ground shifts beneath us.

In complex times, it’s not just creativity that wins—it’s CREATIVITY x FOCUS. I once worked with a leader who was wildly creative. Every meeting was a brainstorm. Every brainstorm… well, sometimes more of a rabbit hole than an ideation session. Their team had intermittent successes. But as the market tightened and resources thinned, their team stalled. There were simply TOO MANY ideas. And not enough action. Contrast that with an innovation leader I recently coached. She had that same spark—but she anchored it in clarity. Clarity about her strategy. Clarity about her customer. And in turn, clarity about the value her idea could deliver. The result? Speed. Traction. And a team that felt energized, not overwhelmed. Because in complex environments, creativity without focus? It’s like drinking from a firehose. But focus amplifies creativity. It filters. Sharpens. Aligns. And that’s where real magic happens. Focus x Creativity = Velocity + Value Feeling the swirl right now? Try this: —> Get clear on your north star (your customer’s need AND your org’s core strategy). —> Use it to focus your next idea sprint or team brainstorm. —> Then watch creativity turn into meaningful progress—not just motion. What’s one way you stay focused when things get noisy? #innovation #focus #creativity #leadership #jugaad #doingbetterwithless #keynote

The easiest way to lose focus as a creative agency is to say yes to everything. When I started building my agency, I got inquiries for everything:  “Can you do our social media?”  “Manage ad creatives?”  “Build our website?” It was tempting to say yes. Because early on, saying no feels risky. You fear losing the client, the money, the opportunity. But over time, I realised that the projects we said no to helped us grow faster than the ones we said yes to. We chose to focus only on: - Brand identity - Logo design - Packaging We made one clear statement that we build “memorable visual brands.” This narrow focus helped us attract better-fit clients, build deep expertise, charge premium rates and hire the right talent with clarity. In a world full of generalist agencies, clarity became our edge. If you’re growing a creative business, don’t chase volume, chase precision. You don’t scale by doing more. You scale by doing less but doing it better than anyone else. Once the foundation is strong, you can always expand. If your agency tries to do everything, you’ll end up being forgettable. What are your thoughts on being specific to one thing? #entrepreneurship #graphicdesign

I’ve seen it happen again and again in big organizations. In-house creative teams are juggling so many urgent tasks that there’s barely time to think about the bigger picture. And when that happens, creativity and strategy take a backseat. Especially when there’s an in-house video team. The reality is: 👉 Many people focus on 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 in their roles rather than pushing boundaries to create standout results. Retention shouldn’t be the sole reward of creative work. 👉 Junior team members often don’t have the confidence—or the tools—to advocate for better processes or higher standards. 👉 In-house video teams (specifically) are often tasked with producing external-facing, mid-funnel content they don’t have the resources to create effectively. It’s not a lack of talent or drive. It’s the fire drills. The constant motion that can seem like progress. And the essentially toxic environment that thrives when teams aren’t focusing their efforts on the right things. So, how do we break the cycle? Here’s what I’ve learned over the years: ✅ Reward creative risks, even if they don’t always pay off. The effort alone builds confidence and encourages bold thinking for future successes. ✅ Carve out time for strategy. Not everything can be a sprint—sometimes you need space to reflect and realign. ✅ Make sure every team member knows their voice matters. Often, the best ideas come from unexpected places. ✅ Consider external partners for high production value videos so that in-house teams can focus on content that nurtures and grows existing relationships that foster existing relationships (aka BOFU). These aren’t quick fixes, but they’re the foundation for building a team that thrives under pressure and delivers exceptional results. What’s worked for you? I’d love to hear how you’ve tackled this challenge in your own in-house teams.

DISTRACTION IS THE ENEMY OF SUCCESS. Every day, you’re presented with two choices: focus or float. The world is loud, and the constant pull of notifications, meetings, and endless tasks can blur even the clearest of goals. The truth is… Distraction doesn’t just steal your time, it robs you of progress. I know this all too well. As a single mother of 3 and entrepreneur whose personal brand took off quickly, a lot came at me a warp speed. Board seats, television contracts, book offers, partnerships, and more… With so many opportunities, I often spread my attention too thin, trying to be everything to everyone, instead of focusing on my own priorities. And it took a significant toll on my success, health, and happiness. Luckily I realized this And worked to turn things around before it was too late. I recognized that My vision, the one that sets my soul on fire, demands my full attention. Without it, days turn into months, months turn into years, years to into decades, and you can end up looking back with regret on the life you could have lived. The good news is that your life doesn’t have to be that way. If you laser focus on your goals, you can create the results, and ultimately the life, you desire. Here’s how:  🎯 PRIORITIZE WITH PRECISION Start each day by identifying your top three non-negotiable tasks. These are your needle movers, the actions that align with your greater vision. 🎯TIME BLOCK LIKE A PRO Guard your focus hours like your most valuable asset. Schedule deep work blocks and honor them fiercely. During these times, silence the noise: phone on do not disturb, notifications off, tabs closed, and let your mind zero in on your main priority. 🎯SET IRONCLAD BOUNDARIES If it doesn’t serve your vision, it’s a no. Every “yes” to a distraction is a “no” to your future. Set strong boundaries to protect your time and energy. 🎯VISUALIZE YOUR FINISH LINE DAILY Keep your vision front and center. Whether it’s a vision board, daily journaling, or a daily visualization, remind yourself of why you started and what’s waiting on the other side of your commitment. 🎯MASTER YOUR MINDSET Distraction often creeps in when your mind feels overwhelmed. Practice mindfulness, reset throughout your day, and continuously refocus on your priorities. A calm mind is a focused one. 🎯 SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SUPPORT Be relentless about protecting your energy. Surround yourself with a small inner circle of coaches, colleagues, and loved ones who empower you to reach your next level. My friends, your vision deserves unwavering focus. Strip away the distractions, work daily to build momentum, and watch how quickly clarity turns into unstoppable progress. IT’S TIME TO LOCK IN. ~Wouldn’t you agree? #motivation #personaldevelopment #success

Are you struggling to focus in a world of endless distractions? As an entrepreneur with ADHD, I've cracked the code on turning distraction into a superpower. I call it F.O.C.U.S - an acronym that helps me GSD: 1. Find the problem you're solving ↳ Define your target before jumping to solutions ↳ Ask: Am I solving the right problem? 2. Observe the Outcome ↳ Visualize your end goal vividly ↳ Sketch it out in a mindmap or like Christopher Nolan (above image) 3. Curiously Consume and Curate Content ↳ Set a timer for 1-3 hours of focused research ↳ I Use tools like Perplexity, PaperScape, Answer the Public, Gummysearch to dive down the rabbit hole and find unique things 4. Use what stands out ↳ Connect the dots from your research ↳ Try mind-mapping tools like Miro or Figma (I prefer to use paper) 5. Start creating ↳ No new information allowed - use what you've gathered ↳ Separate consumption from creation for undiluted focus Why does this work? 🤔 • It harnesses my ADHD ability to hyper-focus • It turns distractions into fuel for creativity • It creates a structured approach to tackle any problem Remember: Focus isn't about laser-like concentration. It's about managing multiple streams of information while staying true to your objectives. Got some value from this? Drop me a like or comment. I appreciate you. Follow Pete Sena for more - THINK DIFFERENT. WIN DIFFERENT.