Focus

Bestselling author Daniel Goleman returns with a groundbreaking look at the secret to high performance and fulfillment: attention. 'A highly readable manifesto for turning our smartphones off once in a while' Financial Times For more than two decades, psychologist and journalist Daniel Goleman has been scouting the leading edge of the human sciences for what's new, surprising, and important. In Focus, he delves into the science of attention in all its varieties, presenting a long overdue discussion of this little-noticed and under-rated mental asset that matters enormously for how we navigate life. Goleman boils down attention research into a three parts: inner, other, and outer focus. Goleman shows why high-achievers need all three kinds of focus, as demonstrated by rich case studies from fields as diverse as competitive sports, education, the arts, and business. Those who excel rely on what Goleman calls Smart Practices such as mindfulness meditation, focused preparation and recovery, positive emotions and connections, and mental 'prosthetics' that help them improve habits, add new skills, and sustain excellence. Combining cutting-edge research with practical findings, Focus reveals what distinguishes experts from amateurs and stars from average performers.

Bestselling author Daniel Goleman returns with a groundbreaking look at the secret to high performance and fulfillment: attention. 'A highly readable manifesto for turning our smartphones off once in a while' Financial Times For more than two decades, psychologist and journalist Daniel Goleman has been scouting the leading edge of the human sciences for what's new, surprising, and important. In Focus, he delves into the science of attention in all its varieties, presenting a long overdue discussion of this little-noticed and under-rated mental asset that matters enormously for how we navigate life. Goleman boils down attention research into a three parts: inner, other, and outer focus. Goleman shows why high-achievers need all three kinds of focus, as demonstrated by rich case studies from fields as diverse as competitive sports, education, the arts, and business. Those who excel rely on what Goleman calls Smart Practices such as mindfulness meditation, focused preparation and recovery, positive emotions and connections, and mental 'prosthetics' that help them improve habits, add new skills, and sustain excellence. Combining cutting-edge research with practical findings, Focus reveals what distinguishes experts from amateurs and stars from average performers.

This is the ultimate guide for university students seeking to master the art of focus in an increasingly distracting world. Focus is not just a collection of tips; it's a journey into understanding how the brain engages with the task of concentrating in an environment that constantly competes for our attention. With its blend of scientific insight and practical strategies, it's an ideal starting point for students transitioning to the demands of higher education, where self-directed study and attention management are crucial. This book delves into essential aspects of focus, from understanding the basics of sleep, nutrition, and mental health to navigating the intricacies of attention spans influenced by digital media. It empowers students to create conducive study environments, even in confined spaces, and teaches how to effectively manage distractions, a common hurdle in the digital age. What sets this book apart is its holistic approach. It doesn't just offer quick fixes but provides a deep understanding of how our brains focus and what environmental and lifestyle factors affect that focus. It provides evidence-based methods and techniques to enhance concentration during lectures, studying sessions, writing sessions, and creative tasks. By equipping readers with a robust set of skills and knowledge, Focus is an essential guide for achieving academic success and developing lifelong concentration skills in an ever-distracting world. Focus is also available in audiobook format from audiobook retailers.

This is the ultimate guide for university students seeking to master the art of focus in an increasingly distracting world. Focus is not just a collection of tips; it's a journey into understanding how the brain engages with the task of concentrating in an environment that constantly competes for our attention. With its blend of scientific insight and practical strategies, it's an ideal starting point for students transitioning to the demands of higher education, where self-directed study and attention management are crucial. This book delves into essential aspects of focus, from understanding the basics of sleep, nutrition, and mental health to navigating the intricacies of attention spans influenced by digital media. It empowers students to create conducive study environments, even in confined spaces, and teaches how to effectively manage distractions, a common hurdle in the digital age. What sets this book apart is its holistic approach. It doesn't just offer quick fixes but provides a deep understanding of how our brains focus and what environmental and lifestyle factors affect that focus. It provides evidence-based methods and techniques to enhance concentration during lectures, studying sessions, writing sessions, and creative tasks. By equipping readers with a robust set of skills and knowledge, Focus is an essential guide for achieving academic success and developing lifelong concentration skills in an ever-distracting world. Focus is also available in audiobook format from audiobook retailers.

What's the secret to a company's continued growth and prosperity? Internationally known marketing expert Al Ries has the answer: focus. His commonsense approach to business management is founded on the premise that long-lasting success depends on focusing on core products and eschewing the temptation to diversify into unrelated enterprises. Using real-world examples, Ries shows that in industry after industry, it is the companies that resist diversification, and focus instead on owning a category in consumers' minds, that dominate their markets. He offers solid guidance on how to get focused and how to stay focused, laying out a workable blueprint for any company's evolution that will increase market share and shareholder value while ensuring future success.

New: third, updated English edition (November 2025) 'A fabulous look at the world's most indispensable machines and the most vital company you've never heard of.' - Ben Cohen, Wall Street Journal 'Marc Hijink provides an unparalleled analysis of ASML's extraordinary rise.' - Chris Miller, author of Chip war. For decades the most valuable technology company in Europe operated in the shadows. The chips manufactured by its machines, power our smartphones and AI assistants, make our coffee and drive our cars and even guide cruise missiles. In fact, roughly 90% of all chips worldwide are made with ASML's machines. In recent years, the Dutch manufacturing company has found itself in the spotlight, at the centre of a geopolitical storm between the United States, China and Europe. In Focus - The ASML way , journalist Marc Hijink brings us a unique insider portrait of this global giant. Hijink not only details the company's meteoric rise from a quiet town in the Netherlands to a powerful, global monopoly position, he also makes accessible the unbelievably complex technology that has been the key to ASML's success. It's lithography machines, which spit out millions of chips around the clock, work to an accuracy of within a few atoms. China is trying to copy the ASML technology while investing billions in its own chip-manufacturing programs to rival that of Taiwan. The US, in turn, seems to have the Dutch government on their side as they try and resuscitate their own chip manufacturing industry amid trade and cyber-warfare with China. Behind all the mind-blowing tech, Hijink discovers, ASML is a company fighting its own demons, scrambling to keep up with its success and an increasing number of security threats. This is the intimate story of the people and culture behind a business now caught in a diplomatic struggle for global might. 'The tech cold war most complicated machine' - The New York Times 'The most obscure company in the world' - BBC "A wonderfully engaging story about the intrigues and acquisitions that turned ASML into a global monopolist. A subject as dizzying as it is important, which Hijink manages to make accessible thanks to his years of reporting on ASML." De Volkskrant "Hijink has written a wonderful portrait full of intriguing angles about a company that is more than worthy of such an approach." Innovation origins "An award-deserving, wonderfully written page-turner about the fascinating biography of ASML. A must-read for anyone, and especially for computer scientists and engineers, managers and entrepreneurs, and politicians and R&D funders." Maria Keet, associate professor Computer Science, University of Cape Town "A detailed insider account of the world's biggest system integrator on steroids who has the relentlessness and mettle to push the laws of physics to new frontiers. An enlightening read for anyone interested in understanding the technological, economic, and political forces shaping the future of semiconductors and their ubiquitous presence in our daily lives." The Geostrata "It's rare to find a great book about the history of a European tech company. That privilege is normally reserved to the companies born on the other side of the Atlantic. Focus is that book. A deep dive into a company most people don't know, but whose work touches every part of modern life." Henrique Cruz, Betaglyph

'A fabulous look at the world's most indispensable machines and the most vital company you've never heard of.' - Ben Cohen, Wall Street Journal 'Marc Hijink provides an unparalleled analysis of ASML's extraordinary rise.' - Chris Miller, author of Chip war. For decades the most valuable technology company in Europe operated in the shadows. The chips manufactured by its machines, power our smartphones and AI assistants, make our coffee and drive our cars and even guide cruise missiles. In fact, roughly 90% of all chips worldwide are made with ASML's machines. In recent years, the Dutch manufacturing company has found itself in the spotlight, at the centre of a geopolitical storm between the United States, China and Europe. In Focus - The ASML way , journalist Marc Hijink brings us a unique insider portrait of this global giant. Hijink not only details the company's meteoric rise from a quiet town in the Netherlands to a powerful, global monopoly position, he also makes accessible the unbelievably complex technology that has been the key to ASML's success. It's lithography machines, which spit out millions of chips around the clock, work to an accuracy of within a few atoms. China is trying to copy the ASML technology while investing billions in its own chip-manufacturing programs to rival that of Taiwan. The US, in turn, seems to have the Dutch government on their side as they try and resuscitate their own chip manufacturing industry amid trade and cyber-warfare with China. Behind all the mind-blowing tech, Hijink discovers, ASML is a company fighting its own demons, scrambling to keep up with its success and an increasing number of security threats. This is the intimate story of the people and culture behind a business now caught in a diplomatic struggle for global might. 'The tech cold war most complicated machine' - The New York Times 'The most obscure company in the world' - BBC