David Sparks and Mike Schmitz are not nearly as productive as they’d like to be. Join these fellow travelers (and a bunch of special guests) as they share the best ways to get focused, and talk through their successes and failures along the way.

Hosts

David Sparks

MacSparky.com

Mike Schmitz

practicalpkm.com

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    Latest Episodes

    #253: Finding Focus in the Midst of Chaos, with David Roth

    April 7th, 2026 · 64 minutes

    Corporate lawyer David Roth joins to talk about the challenges of staying focused in a fast-paced profession where small mistakes can cost millions of dollars.

    #252: Donkey Work

    March 24th, 2026 · 75 minutes

    David has a new Field Guide, and both he & Mike discuss the ways they're using AI to have their robot assistants help with the donkey work.

    #251: Not Throwing Away My Shot, with Joe Casabona

    March 10th, 2026 · 75 minutes

    Podcast coach and Streamlined Soloprenuer founder Joe Casabona joins us to talk about building systems, effective delegation, and when to actually automate.

    #250: Planning Your Week

    February 24th, 2026 · 68 minutes

    David & Mike discuss how to plan your week and share their own weekly planning workflows.

    #249: What if This Were Easy? with Ernie Svenson

    February 10th, 2026 · 59 minutes

    David's personal Yoda is back to talk about curiosity, creativity, and the role of AI in focused work.

    #248: Seriously, A Heroic Journey

    January 27th, 2026 · 57 minutes

    David & Mike discuss the Hero's Journey and how focus can help in your own epic quest.

    #247: Getting Intentional, with Chris Bailey

    January 13th, 2026 · 69 minutes

    Chris Bailey is back to talk about his new book, The Intention Stack, fundamental human values, and why S.M.A.R.T. goals aren't very smart.

    #246: A Cleansing Palette of Joy

    December 30th, 2025 · 81 minutes

    David & Mike reflect on everything that happened in 2025 and set their intentions for the new year.

    #245: Fashionable & Functional, with Patrick Rhone

    December 16th, 2025 · 82 minutes

    Patrick Rhone is back to talk about his love for calendars and why curiosity is essential if you want to become a knower of things.

    #244: You're Holding It Wrong

    December 2nd, 2025 · 72 minutes

    David & Mike catch up on listener feedback and discuss productivity myths, focus struggles, and their favorite episodes from the last year.