Focus

Is your head spinning? Are you struggling to achieve your goals?

It is really difficult sometimes with the everyday 'noise' of things that need to be done. We may even be organised enough to make lists and plans of things that need to be done but what happens when that list of tasks becomes overwhelming?

The first step is to start prioritising. There are always things that need to be done that day and these need to be fitted in. however, just doing those things alone will not move you forward. So what do you do?  

Look at that list of goals again; pick your short term goals and prioritise them. Forget about the time or effort that it may take; just concentrate on one that is most iportant to you at that moment.

One that is decided and you have your number one goal, put all your focus onto it; make a plan of simple taks that need to be performed to achieve that goal. Make those tasks as small as possible, so they are easy to achieve. 

Once you have that list, then you can start adding them one by one to your list of daily activities. Even if one task takes several days to complete, at least you know you are moving toward your goal. I promise you that keeping to this disciplined focus and by making one little step everyday, you will achieve even the mightiest and biggest of goals.

Some people are able to concentrate on more than one goal at a time; however be honest with yourself. Trying to add too much to that daily list may mean that actually those goal steps never get completed. That will lead to frustration and a feeling of failure. I know that I can only focus on one at a time but, after several weeks, I can have achieved several goals using this discipline.

I'll leave you with a story:

A master racher took two students out into the woods and set them up to shoot at two targets over 100 metres distant. In the middle of both targets was a circle of a five centimetre radius.

Both students notched their arrows and raised their bows, pulling back their bowstrings.

The master then said to the first student. "Tell me what you see."

"I see trees, bushes and grass. I see the birds chasing insects in flight and I see two rabbits nibbling at the grass. I see a deer in the distance..."

"Put down your bow," the master interrupted, "for you are not ready to shoot today".

He turned to the second student. "Now tell me what you see."

"A small, blue circle".

"Then let fly your arrow".

That is focus.

Have a fantastic day.