How to get on the right track

You Reap Your Focus

In my early 20s, I was sent to a defensive driving course by my employer. Not because I was a bad driver, but because my job involved extensive driving in heavily loaded Utes with trailers, and sometimes even maneuvering 3-ton trucks. I arrived at Willowbank Raceway in Queensland, Australia along with a group of eager, would-be better drivers. The instructor had set up a course consisting of three 2-meter foam barricades arranged in a "C" formation, with just enough room for a car to slowly maneuver between them. The instructor provided us with only a couple of instructions:

"Move through the course at 20 kph and not below that speed.

Don't hit the barricades!"

One after another, we tried and failed to make it through without hitting a barricade, with most of us failing at the last one. "What's going wrong?" the instructor asked. "It's impossible!" one of the drivers exclaimed. "Who agrees that this task is impossible?" the instructor inquired. Most hands shot up. "The barricades are too narrow," one driver commented. "We're going too fast," another added. The instructor, folding his arms with his hand resting under his chin, asked, "Does everyone agree?" Most people agreed, and those who didn't remained silent, including myself.

With that, the instructor jumped into the car, and traveling at 20 kph, he effortlessly navigated the three-barricade course without hitting a single one. He emerged from the car, smiling. Everyone was shocked. "I have to be honest - I know why you've failed... There's a small secret that will help you," he said with a grin. All the drivers leaned in, curious about the revelation. Was it something to do with the brakes and acceleration? A trick with the steering wheel?

"I can guarantee you're all looking at the barriers you hit! After all, I helped you to focus on them by telling you to avoid them! Stop looking at the barrier and instead, look at the space you're going into... where you want to go!" It seemed almost too simple, but as it turned out, it was that easy. As soon as we started focusing on the "space" instead of the barriers, the drivers began succeeding.

This lesson serves as a powerful metaphor for life. If you fixate on obstacles rather than your goals, you'll naturally gravitate toward the very challenges you're trying to avoid. It's like trying to walk a tightrope while focusing on the chasm below or attempting to hit a bullseye on a dartboard while keeping your eyes on the surrounding wall, "Eyes on the prize!". The key is to let go of the negative mindset, fear, and consistently thinking about losing. Instead, concentrate on what you do want. Either way, negative or positive you'll find that you are more likely to end up with what you have focused on, so why not focus on the positive!