you are the product

The DanTide

— — —

Our attention has been commoditized and sold to the highest bidder.

I know this because I lived it.

You probably know the feeling too – doom scrolling on the internet, unable to read more than 5 pages of a book you genuinely want to read, struggling to stick to an exercise routine, trapped in a vicious cycle of bad habits you cannot seem to break out of.

Over the last two years, I jumped from one business idea to the next.

I tried affiliate marketing, started TikTok theme pages (growing to over 30K followers in 2 months), and even sold digital products in niches I wasn't particularly interested in.

I saw some success with each venture, but one thing remained constant: I could not put my head down for enough time to see anything major materialize.

I got bored, saw another opportunity, found something more entertaining to look at.

The result?

Two years with nothing tangible to show for it.

Yes, I made some money, but this kind of living didn't speak to me. I was constantly jumping from one activity to the next, from one "relationship" to another, prioritizing breadth over depth.

I spent hours consuming useless information from the internet, being half-in and half-out on most of the lever-moving tasks that I knew were essential to getting my life in order.

The Real Problem

The issue wasn't just that I couldn't get anything done – it was that I had fooled myself into thinking I was making progress.

Sure, I was learning new information, but none of it was helping me achieve my actual goals.

We've all been there, stuck in the endless scroll of reels or TikToks, bombarded by information we didn't even know we needed.

The algorithms are designed for this – they're built to keep us scrolling, to keep us consuming, to keep us distracted.

---

When you think you need money, you start trying everything: affiliate marketing, building AI automations, direct response copywriting, starting a YouTube channel.

The cruel irony is that all these models can work, but you never give any of them enough time to see real progress.

Slowly, you drop them one by one, eventually quitting entirely and labeling every online business as a fad or scam that only makes a few people rich.

Then it's back to the mundane cycle: wake up, go to work, come home tired, repeat.

What I Tried

I tried every productivity hack in the book:

• Pomodoro technique

• Time blocking

• Cold turkey app blockers

• Accountability partners

• Morning routines

• Meditation apps

• Digital detoxes

Why It Didn't Work

These solutions failed because they were treating the symptoms, not the cause. They were external solutions to an internal problem. I was trying to force focus without understanding why I was distracted in the first place.

The apps and techniques would work for a few days, maybe even a few weeks. But eventually, I'd find ways around them, or simply abandon them altogether. Why? Because I hadn't addressed the root cause: my relationship with attention itself.

The Desired Outcome

What I really wanted wasn't just better focus – it was the ability to see things through. To build something meaningful. To experience the deep satisfaction that comes from mastery rather than the shallow dopamine hits of constant novelty.

I wanted to:

• Build a sustainable business I was proud of

• Develop deep, meaningful relationships

• Create work that had lasting impact

• Experience the flow state regularly

• Feel in control of my attention, rather than at its mercy

The Focus Ladder

The breakthrough came when I realized that focus, like any skill, needs to be built gradually.

You wouldn't try to run a marathon without training – why expect yourself to maintain focus for hours without building up to it?

Enter the Focus Ladder, a progressive system for rebuilding your attention span:

1. Start with 5 minutes of focused work, followed by 1 minute of intentional distraction

2. Once that's easy, move to 10 minutes of focus, 2 minutes of break

3. Progress to 15 minutes of focus, 3 minutes of break

4. Continue this pattern until you reach your optimal focus period (usually 45-90 minutes)

The key innovation?

You're not fighting against distraction – you're working with your brain's natural rhythm while gradually extending its capacity for focus.

Understand that focus isn't about forcing yourself to concentrate – it's about creating an environment where concentration becomes natural.

Just as a plant grows better in fertile soil with adequate sunlight and water, your focus thrives under the right conditions.

I learned that:

• Distraction isn't a character flaw – it's a habit that can be rewired

• Small wins compound into massive changes over time

• The goal isn't to eliminate distraction but to make focus more appealing

• Progress happens in cycles, not straight lines

Making It Work

1. Environment Setup (Week 1)

   • Create a dedicated workspace

   • Remove visible technology

   • Keep only task-relevant items in sight

2. Focus Foundation (Week 2)

   • Start with 5-minute focus periods

   • Use the Focus Ladder system

   • Track your progress without judgment

3. Habit Formation (Week 3)

   • Link focus sessions to existing habits

   • Establish clear start/stop signals

   • Build in rewards for completed sessions

4. Progressive Challenge (Week 4)

   • Gradually increase focus duration

   • Introduce more complex tasks

   • Maintain success logs

5. Social Integration (Week 5)

   • Share your progress with others

   • Find an accountability partner

   • Join or create a focus group

The beauty of this system is its simplicity.

You don't need fancy apps or expensive tools. You just need to commit to the process and trust that small, consistent steps will lead to massive changes over time.

Hope this helped.

- Dan