The Focus Accelerator
Learn how to “balance” all the chaos of work and life, eliminate the distractions that are sapping your focus, and set clear goals you are excited to work towards (that won’t burn you out).
YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Zack Arnold – Work-Life Coach
Award-winning Hollywood filmmaker, ACE member
🔥Limited enrollment. Only 10 spots available!
Navigating an Existential Crisis? It’s Not Just You.
In the last five years the world has changed more rapidly than in the last generation (if ever). We’ve spent our entire careers designing our lives around or work. And in the process of doing so, we’ve lost ourselves.
Surround by screens 24/7, it’s so easy to get lost inside our digital news feeds curated by the algorithms and fueled by our enragement. And there’s always “just one more episode” to help us avoid confronting the uncertain state of our work and lives.
We’ve lost the ability to focus on what matters.
But focus isn’t just about doing ‘deep work’ or ‘getting things done.’
Real focus is about being at peace
with how you’re spending your time.
Real focus requires the CLARITY that you’re working towards goals that matter.
Real focus requires the CONFIDENCE that you are capable of achieving your goals.
Real focus requires taking the right actions with CONSISTENCY.
Clarity
Confidence
Consistency
Who Is This Course For?
Anyone navigating a career pivot (or an existential crisis).
If you’re stuck between who you used to be and who you want to be next, this course will help you better understand who you are beyond the job title on your résumé.
Anyone who is tired of failing to achieve work-life “balance”
If you’re exhausted from spinning too many plates and wearing too many hats, this course will provide you with a totally different approach to goal setting and time management that prioritizes YOU ahead of your to-do lists.
Anyone who is ready to chart the course for the next phase of work and life
This program is not just about setting a few SMART goals but instead a system to help you write the story for the next phase of your work and life, no matter your age, no matter your career path, and no matter your obstacles.
Who This Course Is NOT For?
Anyone looking for quick time-management hacks
If you’re looking for the next miracle app or to-do list hack to get more done in less time, look elsewhere. This program is not for people who just want to be more “productive,” this course if for people who want to be more “effective” with their time.
Anyone scared of answering the hard questions.
This course will address the REAL things preventing you from focusing, and some of the questions you’ll have to answer will be hard. Nothing worth pursuing in life is easy, and nor will this course be easy.
Anyone scared of putting in the work.
I have high expectations for my students because I know they are capable of exceeding them. If you just want to dip your toes in the shallow end and check out a few class and try out an assignment or two, this is not the program for you. I expect my students to show up to 80% of the classes and be there to support each other.
“One of the things that’s been really good for me is clarity of what I actually want to do, which is a lot harder than it seems. It’s helped me work through my own shit which I’ve been failing at for the past few years. And the people you have surrounded yourself with are an amazing bunch of people – it’s been so helpful having accountability partners.”
Lara Britton • Multi-hyphenate “Creative”
Enrollment is by application only.
Upon applying you’ll have the ability to schedule a complimentary 30-min Zoom chat with Zack to see if this course is the right fit for your needs.
🔥Limited enrollment. Only 10 spots available!
Arnold Academy Guarantee
Attend the first four weeks of classes. If this isn’t the right program for your needs, you may request a full refund. No questions asked.
Here’s What You’ll Learn
How to set meaningful goals in WORK and in LIFE
You’ve spent your entire life building your identify around your work. In the Focus Accelerator you’ll learn how to design your work around your life according to your values…and in a more sustainable way that doesn’t lead to burnout.
How to better manage an uncertain job market (and uncertain world)
Everything we learned about building successful careers no longer works. The game has changed and so have the rules. In the Focus Accelerator you’ll learn how to approach this next phase of work and life with a growth mindset and a willingness to learn new things.
How to eliminate all the distractions and prioritize what matters
Focus isn’t about knowing what to say ‘Yes’ to nearly as much as knowing what to say ‘No’ to. In the Focus Accelerator you’ll learn how to prioritize what’s important and urgent, ultimately simplifying how many plates you have to spin on any given day. You’ll also learn how to better manage your relationship with technology so your screens no longer steal your soul.
How to reorganize your calendar in alignment with your values
While the Focus Accelerator is not a deep dive into technology, to-do lists, or fancy apps, the one thing you will come away with is a completely different system for managing your entire life using your calendar in such a way that your weeks will have enough structure to keep you focused but enough freedom to live life on your terms.
How to overcome the deeper fears keeping you trapped in the same place
Whether it’s procrastination, perfectionism, analysis paralysis, or a raging case of imposter syndrome, in the Focus Accelerator we’ll tap into the deeper fears that are making you feel stuck so you can keep moving forwards despite whatever obstacles are currently standing in your way.
The Course Syllabus
The foundation of the Focus Accelerator is the GO FAR framework, originally conceived by Christopher Rush, the first quadriplegic to become a licensed scuba diver. Needless to say, Chris knew a thing or two about achieving difficult goals despite insurmountable obstacles.
Each unit below will be covered for two weeks.
Introduction: Your Baseline Assessment
I can’t help you get you where you want to go until you know where are you now. We’ll spend the first week doing an extensive baseline assessment of where you are in both WORK and LIFE to help you become more aware of what could be holding you back from having clarity about your goals and next steps.
Unit 1: GOALS
With a better sense of where you are now, we’ll then help you develop a clear VISION for the next phase of your work and life, set clear GOALS that lead you towards that vision, and then write a clear STORY for the next year so you know exactly where to focus your attention.
Vision → Goals → Story
Unit 2: OBSTACLES
Once you have a vision to work towards, we’ll then dig deep into the #1 obstacle standing in your way: YOU. Whether it’s procrastination, perfectionism, fear of failure, fear of putting yourself out there, analysis paralysis, or a good-old-fashioned case of imposter syndrome, we’ll shift your mindset to become more resilient in the face of uncertainty.
This unit will include a 2-day in person retreat in Los Angeles, CA.
Unit 3: FOCUS
With clear goals in hand and a new mindset to overcome your obstacles, in Unit 3 you’ll learn how to prioritize the most important domains of your life in accordance with your values and “strategically imbalance” everything on your calendar so your attention is focused on things that actually matter.
Unit 4: ACTION
With clear priorities and a plan to “strategically imbalance” what matters most in work and life, in Unit 4 you’ll learn how to build simple habits and systems (without complicated apps) so you can stay consistent (without burning out)
Unit 5: REVIEW & REFLECT
If you want a better life…ask better questions. Throughout this course – but specifically in Unit 5 – you’ll learn how to build a regular review & reflection practice so you become even more aware of the behaviors that are stopping you from achieving your goals so you can course correct even when it feels like you’ve fallen off the wagon.
What’s Included? And When?
📆 Classes begin Monday, May 11th
Mondays, 8:30am – 10:30am Pacific Time
x12 Weekly Zoom Calls
All calls will be recorded, transcribed, and summarized. You will have lifetime access to these resources to revisit after the semester is over. If you cannot attend at least 75% (9 of the 12) of the sessions, this isn’t the semester for you.
Schedule 1-on-1 Hot Seats
As part of the All-Access Pass you may also attend my Live Office Hours and schedule up to one 25-min Hot Seat per week (pending availability) on any topic of your choosing (including managing an existential crisis!).
4 months of The Arnold Academy All-Access Pass ($796 value)
You’ll get All-Access to all of my self-guided courses, workshops, and masterclasses far beyond the coursework for The Focus Accelerator. This includes my best materials on networking, calendar management, branding, and so much more.
BONUS: A 45-min private strategy session ($275 value)
To ensure you get the most out of this course, at any point during the semester you can schedule a complimentary 45-min private strategy session to get clear on your goals and next steps.
“I’m struggling with the downturn of the industry, and if I didn’t have this, I don’t think that I would be in a place where I’d be standing on a lot more solid ground. Even if I have to put the work in, I have a lot more clarity about what I need to do and the tools that are available to me. So this program has been incredibly beneficial to have.”
Jason Roberts • Writer/Director, “Creative Mutt”
Enrollment is by application only.
Upon applying you’ll have the ability to schedule a complimentary 30-min Zoom chat with Zack to see if this course is the right fit for your needs.
🔥Limited enrollment. Only 10 spots available!
Arnold Academy Guarantee
Attend the first four weeks of classes. If this isn’t the right program for your needs, you may request a full refund. No questions asked.
Here’s What Past Students Have to Say
Katie Cornblath
“This is an incredible hive mind of creatives bringing out the best in each other. This community has improved my confidence and helped me realize I can climb my Everest because of the skills I have used to climb other mountains.”
Tristan Felberg
“Thank you again for giving me the encouragement and permission to be okay with not having it figured out right now and giving me a new goal to work towards. You and this community have been a blessing that fell out of the sky for me in where I am in my journey!”
Barry Andersson
“I’m impressed. I am now convinced the only way for success in almost every avenue of my life is building systems. I just got a taste of how transformational this can be… and I want more. If I can make this the new norm it will transform my life and everyone else I know that is close to me. Thank you.”
Sediqua Francis
“What really worked for me was Zack’s calendar exercise that just really gave me a lot of clarity as to where I was spending my time and what was possible. And after I did that calendar exercise, I feel like I just got into the stratosphere, like I’m really focused as to what it is that I need to do and how to accomplish it. The calendar exercise really works!”
Phil Habeger
“In a nutshell, or as a whole, I’m really happy with the way this all turned out. You know, I feel light years ahead of where I was a year ago, but at the same time, it could use that extra focus somehow.
Krystal Penhall
“The top benefit I got from the course was digging deep into the GO FAR framework…more specifically learning how to identify my obstacles and build a system to tackle them. Now I apply this framework to my career as well as my running, which I’ll be taking to a new level when I run my first half-marathon!”
About Your Instructor
Hi, I’m Zack.
When people ask me “What do you do?” my answer is…“It’s complicated.”
I’m a former award-winning Hollywood film and television editor, producer, and documentary director turned writer, podcaster, and work-life coach who helps highly ambitious (and often neurodivergent) creatives like you build meaningful work around a more sustainable life that you absolutely love…without burning out along the way (or selling your creative soul).
The purpose of my work is to help you find meaning and purpose in yours.
If you feel like your career is on life support, or if you’re tired of spinning too many plates and wearing too many hats, I and the other members of The Arnold Academy have your back. We creatives do things a bit differently here, and I created this safe space for us to learn new skills, build our peer groups, connect with mentors, and support each other along the way.
To paraphrase Steve Jobs:
“We are the crazy ones. The misfits. The round pegs in the square holes…We change things and push the human race forward. While some may see us as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”
Join our global community so we can change the world together. The rising tide lifts all boats.
My work has been featured in:
And I’ve worked for:
My Promise To You
I get it. Things are REALLY scary right now. And finances are tighter than ever before. Nobody knows where the creative industries are going next, and uncertainty is the only thing we can count on. I realize joining this community is a big investment, and the timing couldn’t be worse. But maybe this is the best time to invest in yourself?
No question there’s a cost to joining our creative community. And once you do join, the work will be hard. Nothing worthwhile comes easy. But given your present circumstances, what will it cost to keep doing the same things and getting the same results?
I’d rather that you go to bed every night knowing that despite all the chaos in the world, how you spent your time was in alignment with your values. And that you’ve done everything you can within your control to keep moving forwards, despite all the setbacks.
You can join for 30 days and attend every weekly class. If this course isn’t the right fit for you, just ask for a refund. No questions asked.
Still on the fence? Reach out to us at [email protected].
Enrollment is by application only.
Upon applying you’ll have the ability to schedule a complimentary 30-min Zoom chat with Zack to see if this course is the right fit for your needs.
🔥Limited enrollment. Only 10 spots available!
Arnold Academy Guarantee
Attend the first four weeks of classes. If this isn’t the right program for your needs, you may request a full refund. No questions asked.