The Compound Interest of Focus

Albert Einstein called compound interest the “eighth wonder of the world”.

He was talking about money. But the principle applies even more aggressively to Time.

Shallow Work vs. Deep Work

Most founders operate in a state of continuous partial attention.

• Checking metrics every 15 minutes.
• Responding to Slack immediately.
• keeping email open on a second monitor.

This is Linear Work. You input 1 hour, you get 0.8 hours of output (minus context switching costs).

Deep Work is exponential. When you lock in for 4 hours—truly lock in—you don’t just solve problems. You build systems. You write code that scales. You design campaigns that convert for years.

The Leverage Equation

Leverage = (Focus Intensity) x (Time).

If your intensity is 50% (distracted), your leverage is weak. If your intensity is 100% (AUDIT protocol), you are effectively cloning yourself.

How to Compound

1. Batch the Shallow: Do all your admin work in one 90-minute block. Get it out of the way.
2. Protect the Deep: Mornings are for building equity. Afternoons are for meetings.
3. Track the Ratio: Use AUDIT to measure your Deep vs. Shallow ratio. The goal is 60/40.

If you can’t focus, you can’t compound. And if you can’t compound, you will never be wealthy.