--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The elite performers don’t focus on the…" description: "\"“The elite performers don’t focus on the overwhelming whole – they focus on getting through the next step.”\" — Sebastian Marshall" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/sebastian-marshall-3923_elite_the-elite-performers-don-t-focus-on-the_628076.jpg" --- # The elite performers don’t focus on the overwhelming whole… ![“The elite performers don’t focus on the overwhelming whole – they focus on getting through the next step.” quote by Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/sebastian-marshall-3923_elite_the-elite-performers-don-t-focus-on-the_628076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/sebastian-marshall-3923_elite_the-elite-performers-don-t-focus-on-the_628076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/sebastian-marshall-3923_elite_the-elite-performers-don-t-focus-on-the_628076.jpg) > ““The elite performers don’t focus on the overwhelming whole – they focus on getting through the next step.”” [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Elite performers break large tasks into manageable steps, focusing on immediate actions rather than the daunting whole. **In simple terms:** Focus on the next step, not the whole. Key Takeaway Take one step at a time. Themes performance focus goal-setting Mood determined optimistic Type motivational practical When to use this quote - project management - sports training - learning new skill - overcoming overwhelm Key Concepts incrementalism mindset Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance immediate actions with overall vision? - What small step can you take right now? A Different Perspective Only focusing on the next step may ignore long‑term strategy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Elite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elite/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Next step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-step/) [Performers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performers/) ## Related quotes > [“elite performers have something in common: They’re really good at taking breaks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/elite-performers-have-something-in-common-they-re-really-good-at/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [ “instead of a massive group of average performers dominating… through sheer numbers, a small group of elite performers \[dominate\] through massive performance.”130 Most organizations… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laszlo-bock/instead-of-a-massive-group-of-average-performers-dominating-through/) [Laszlo Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laszlo-bock/) > [I just focus on getting the first scene right, with a few lines about the overall plot, and then the book grows organically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/i-just-focus-on-getting-the-first-scene-right-with-a-few-lines-about/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [As long as you focus on getting better at one thing a day it accumulates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-reid/as-long-as-you-focus-on-getting-better-at-one-thing-a-day-it/) [Eric Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-reid/) > [You've got to focus on getting better at one thing at a time, every single drill, every single snap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-trubisky/you-ve-got-to-focus-on-getting-better-at-one-thing-at-a-time-every/) [Mitchell Trubisky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-trubisky/) > [I focus on myself and I focus on getting better everyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-iaquinta/i-focus-on-myself-and-i-focus-on-getting-better-everyday/) [Al Iaquinta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-iaquinta/) > [Don't focus on winning as much as you focus on GETTING BETTER; THE BETTER YOU GET... THE MORE YOU WIN!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kemp/don-t-focus-on-winning-as-much-as-you-focus-on-getting-better-the/) [Lee Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kemp/) > [I need to focus on getting to the free-throw line and knocking them down in practice and getting them in the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-knox/i-need-to-focus-on-getting-to-the-free-throw-line-and-knocking-them/) [Kevin Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-knox/) > [I focus on myself and getting better every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caris-levert/i-focus-on-myself-and-getting-better-every-day/) [Caris LeVert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caris-levert/) > [I wasn't losing my focus but I was getting tired of focusing. What I was focusing on was becoming too routine, too ritual, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/picabo-street/i-wasn-t-losing-my-focus-but-i-was-getting-tired-of-focusing-what-i/) [Picabo Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/picabo-street/) > [I just focus on getting better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auston-matthews/i-just-focus-on-getting-better/) [Auston Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auston-matthews/) > [If you just focus on getting better, and not being the best, you have such a good time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-acaster/if-you-just-focus-on-getting-better-and-not-being-the-best-you-have/) [James Acaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-acaster/) > [The obstacles in life are sometimes very hard to get past. It can feel like there's no way past them. But if you work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-moreno/the-obstacles-in-life-are-sometimes-very-hard-to-get-past-it-can-feel/) [Brandon Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-moreno/) > [I just focus on getting better every day, putting things right in training and then hopefully what I'm doing right in training I'm doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-barkley/i-just-focus-on-getting-better-every-day-putting-things-right-in/) [Ross Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-barkley/) > [My focus is getting my shoulders moving and keeping the club in front of me. When I do that, everything is usually fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-rahm/my-focus-is-getting-my-shoulders-moving-and-keeping-the-club-in-front/) [Jon Rahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-rahm/) ## More by Sebastian Marshall > [“Third-order consequences: Toyota winds up with the highest quality rates, lowest defect rates, and most efficient factories in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/third-order-consequences-toyota-winds-up-with-the-highest-quality/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“The foreman carpenter allots his men work according to their ability. Floor layers, makers of sliding doors, thresholds and lintels, ceilings and so on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/the-foreman-carpenter-allots-his-men-work-according-to-their-ability/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“It really actually doesn't take much time to run small experiments, and the payoff is greater levels of energy and more thriving across your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/it-really-actually-doesn-t-take-much-time-to-run-small-experiments/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“start with a baseline of how often a habit or practice atrophies or breaks down, and then you start stacking up advantages to increase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/start-with-a-baseline-of-how-often-a-habit-or-practice-atrophies-or/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“People who live at subsistence level want first things to be put first. They are not particularly interested in freedom of religion, freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/people-who-live-at-subsistence-level-want-first-things-to-be-put/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“ENTRAINMENT IS STUPIDLY EASY TO DO   It’s stupidly easy to start doing entrainment for yourself.    You pick a single type of action,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/entrainment-is-stupidly-easy-to-do-it-s-stupidly-easy-to-start-doing/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“That’s where operational skill comes in. It’s about those seemingly basic but utterly critical skills: scheduling, planning things out, communicating, checking and making adjustments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/that-s-where-operational-skill-comes-in-it-s-about-those-seemingly/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“First-order consequences of Prohibition: alcohol is made illegal, legitimate producers of alcohol go out of business, decrease in drinking.   Second-order consequences of Prohibition:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/first-order-consequences-of-prohibition-alcohol-is-made-illegal/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“The first is one that I’ve been surprised to see many top performers independently arrive at: wake up at least 3+ hours before your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/the-first-is-one-that-i-ve-been-surprised-to-see-many-top-performers/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“When things are going poorly or going excellently, one’s judgment tends to get compromised and it becomes harder to think clearly. You need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/when-things-are-going-poorly-or-going-excellently-one-s-judgment/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“To modernize it a bit, lavish and excessive benefits during boom times won’t be remembered enough if you ask for pay cuts or do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/to-modernize-it-a-bit-lavish-and-excessive-benefits-during-boom-times/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“You can eat before you go out to a restaurant so you’re not hungry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/you-can-eat-before-you-go-out-to-a-restaurant-so-you-re-not-hungry/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“No matter how hard I try, I produce better work when I’m healthier, planned, and my environment is set up correctly.  Yes, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/no-matter-how-hard-i-try-i-produce-better-work-when-i-m-healthier/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“Intelligence is the decisive factor in planning guerrilla operations. Where is the enemy? In what strength? What does he propose to do? What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/intelligence-is-the-decisive-factor-in-planning-guerrilla-operations/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) > [“Issue #1: Failure to Face Reality ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/issue-1-failure-to-face-reality/) [Sebastian Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) [Explore all 118 Sebastian Marshall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/) ## More Elite quotes > [The strange rejection of the expert is mind boggling to me. When we're told that the worst word in politics is 'elite,' I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mazin/the-strange-rejection-of-the-expert-is-mind-boggling-to-me-when-we-re/) [Craig Mazin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-mazin/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [The hope of Internet anarchists was that repressive governments would have only two options: accept the Internet with its limitless possibilities of spreading information,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/the-hope-of-internet-anarchists-was-that-repressive-governments-would/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [In UFC there are K-1 strikers, but I want to be good at everything. You can be an elite striker, but I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovince-saint-preux/in-ufc-there-are-k-1-strikers-but-i-want-to-be-good-at-everything-you/) [Ovince Saint Preux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovince-saint-preux/) > [“If you are frustrated with the elite of your society, do something about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/if-you-are-frustrated-with-the-elite-of-your-society-do-something/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [There's a lot of pressure, and it's a long battle, to coach at the elite level. My wife and I didn't take a vacation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liang-chow/there-s-a-lot-of-pressure-and-it-s-a-long-battle-to-coach-at-the/) [Liang Chow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liang-chow/) > [Economists actually disagree about whether there are significant economic returns from attending an elite college versus a less-selective one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-oster/economists-actually-disagree-about-whether-there-are-significant/) [Emily Oster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-oster/) > [“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken-2/as-democracy-is-perfected-the-office-of-president-represents-more-and/) [H.L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken-2/) > [“Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/anti-intellectualism-has-been-a-constant-thread-winding-its-way/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [As countries embrace mass higher education, the cost of maintaining universities increases dramatically relative to an elite system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bok/as-countries-embrace-mass-higher-education-the-cost-of-maintaining/) [Derek Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bok/) > [When you are dealing with a mass movement, as opposed to a quote-unquote "elite," you are talking to people who don't have time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hamilton/when-you-are-dealing-with-a-mass-movement-as-opposed-to-a-quote/) [Rebecca Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hamilton/) > [“The Warrior Elite,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-luttrell/the-warrior-elite/) [Marcus Luttrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-luttrell/) > [Outside of the Moscow elite and a very small urban elite, Russia is one great big blue-collar country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-hill/outside-of-the-moscow-elite-and-a-very-small-urban-elite-russia-is/) [Fiona Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-hill/) > [Sometimes people who want to understand Haiti from a political perspective may be missing part of the picture. They also need to look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-bertrand-aristide/sometimes-people-who-want-to-understand-haiti-from-a-political/) [Jean-Bertrand Aristide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-bertrand-aristide/) > [Having cancer gave me membership in an elite club I'd rather not belong to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/having-cancer-gave-me-membership-in-an-elite-club-i-d-rather-not/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) [Browse all 392 Elite quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elite/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The elite performers don’t focus on the overwhelming whole – they focus on getting through the next step.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sebastian Marshall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/the-elite-performers-don-t-focus-on-the-overwhelming-whole-they-focus/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Elite" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/the-elite-performers-don-t-focus-on-the-overwhelming-whole-they-focus/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/sebastian-marshall-3923_elite_the-elite-performers-don-t-focus-on-the_628076.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/sebastian-marshall-3923_elite_the-elite-performers-don-t-focus-on-the_628076.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/sebastian-marshall-3923_elite_the-elite-performers-don-t-focus-on-the_628076.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The elite performers don’t focus on the overwhelming whole – they focus on getting through the next step.” — Sebastian Marshall", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sebastian Marshall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marshall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The elite performers don’t focus on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/the-elite-performers-don-t-focus-on-the-overwhelming-whole-they-focus/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marshall/the-elite-performers-don-t-focus-on-the-overwhelming-whole-they-focus/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```