Keeping The Main Thing The Main Thing

The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. -Stephen Covey

This is more than a simple play on words. There is an immense amount of truth hidden within it. Especially in today's world.

A recent study by Microsoft concluded that the human attention span has dropped to eight seconds – shrinking nearly 25% in just a few years.

Consider this: The average human attention span is now shorter than a goldfish’s. It is reported that goldfish have a 9-second attention span.

The drop in attention span can lead to an unfocused approach to decision-making. This will particularly take place when it comes to the ever-moving push and pull of what's happening around the world at this moment. We are constantly asked to consider new things, most of which aren't constructive or can lend a hand to our goals.

The bottom line is that we get distracted and aren't great at keeping the main thing front and center in our lives. The flashes of light that jump in front of us have an alluring way of appearing to be the most important thing to pay attention to at that moment. Not getting sucked into this vortex of attention-stealing takes discipline and practice. But first comes the awareness that it's occurring.

Let’s be clear. The ‘main thing’ is the relationship between “what I elect to, or should, focus on” and actual ‘focus’, i.e., the decision and the commitment to the decision. If you get either side of this relationship wrong you may as well accept ‘non-success.’ -In an article by Bruce McTague for Medium

Let's be clear about something else. Focus is hard and takes work to keep consistent. The awareness will help and is the first key to tapping to unlimited focus and keeping things main.

Not to leave you hanging with "just have awareness," here are tactical steps you can take to get your focus and life back in a very noisy world.

First, let's set an intention.

How do we train ourselves to keep the main thing the main thing?

Practical tips for keeping focus:

• Meditate: This might seem obvious but it couldn't be more overlooked. Spending time each day in quiet reflection isn't as much a spiritual practice as it is a practice to align with your spirit. Spending 5 minutes in the morning is life-changing.
• No: This can be the most powerful word for you during this practice. Learning to say no can be an extremely potent deterrent against those individuals or entities that are attempting to distract you. *Note: Most people or entities that are vying for your attention aren't doing so maliciously (in most cases). They are doing what we are all doing: Striving to share our thoughts, expertise, and opinions. You will need to select what serves you and what doesn't. What doesn't, say no to and move on.
• Writing: Never understatement the importance of writing something down. The key here is to keep what you've written in front of you in a normal place. Maybe a notebook you carry with you or a post-it. Regardless of the mechanism, write down your main thing and keep it visible.
• Break: That's right. Break your normal routine and throw some variety in life. When the normal routines are shaken up you'll gain new insights and awareness about life in general. Most importantly, by shaking your life up a bit you remind yourself that you have a choice in the direction you want to take things.

Increasing the number of people who do the right thing can feed on itself. If people visibly engage in behaviors like walking the stairs, then the effects of goal contagion may lead additional people to engage in positive behaviors. These studies also suggest that subtle reminders of choice may be an easy way to affect behavior rather than having to engage in a more laborious (and expensive) campaign to educate people about what they should do. -Art Markman for DailyGood.org?

• Engage: Take time to step into your thoughts and beliefs about your life. Engage with what moves you and keeps you up at night and getting up early. Give yourself permission to love that part of yourself. Give yourself permission to act on that part of yourself. Don't bother with the size of your contribution. Allow this part of you to give you insight into what your main thing is.

The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. A twisted but simply important thing to keep in mind. -Bruce McTague for Medium

Citations:

1. Our attention span is shorter than a goldfish’s. Here’s what we can do about it | Commentary – Orlando Sentinel
2. The Main Thing Is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing | by The Good Men Project | Change Becomes You | Medium
3. How declining attention spans impact your social media (muckrack.com)
4. Attention is the Secret to Virtue, by Art Markman (dailygood.org)