By Frank Lucasale 
1. The formula Harvard didn’t want to keep
In 1986, efficiency expert Brian Tracy shared a concept with Harvard students he called “the universal equation of results.”
It was so practical—and so system-breaking—that it quietly disappeared from lectures later.
He claimed it could help anyone solve any problem in 30 minutes.
No hacks. No gimmicks.
Just the physics of attention.
2. The Formula: R = (W × C) ÷ T
Here’s what it means:
- R — Result
- W — Clarity (how precisely you know what you want)
- C — Concentration (intensity of attention)
- T — Time lost to distractions
The clearer your goal and the more concentrated your mind, the faster the result.
And the fewer switches, the deeper you go.
Tracy summarized it this way:
“Distracted people don’t have difficult problems. They have diluted attention.”
3. The 30-Minute Tunnel: the method they tried to shut down
Tracy insisted that 30 minutes of uninterrupted focus on a single problem does more than 8 hours of scattered work.
When 12 companies tested it, something unbelievable happened:
- Employees working in 30-minute deep-focus blocks
- Productivity increased by 300%
- People stopped attending pointless meetings
- Creativity skyrocketed
- Managers panicked (because independent thinkers are hard to control)
The experiment was canceled soon after.
4 The neuroscience behind it (which Tracy predicted)
Neurophysiologists later confirmed the mechanism:
The brain follows cognitive resonance — the longer you stay on one thought, the deeper and faster your insight grows.
At around the 15-minute mark, a switch flips:
your brain enters immersion mode.
From there, breakthroughs accelerate.
5. Tracy’s later conclusion
He later explained the principle in one sentence:
“The brain is a spotlight. Anywhere you hold it for 30 minutes—solutions appear.”
Modern entrepreneurs quietly adopted this method long before “deep work” became popular.
6. When you feel stuck — do this
Don’t look for motivation.
Don’t wait for inspiration.
Just sit down and:
- Pick one thought
- Focus for 30 minutes straight
- No phone
- No switching
- No scrolling
You’ll be shocked how fast the world becomes solvable again.