The Power of Focus!

 “Focus on where you want to go, not on what you fear” Tony Robbins

There is nothing more powerful than mastering the Art of Focus. Your ability to focus on what matters most will determine your results and then your future. When you focus on what you have rather than on what you don’t have, you enhance your optimism and positivity.  Focus gives you a sense of purpose; it is the fuel that will keep you moving in the right direction.

But it is easy to get caught in the trap of focusing on negative aspects. It is for this reason that embracing an optimistic view will help you spot more positive opportunities.

There are three elements interrelated to consider when talking about Focus: the Mind, the heart, and the body. When your mind is nurtured by a positive thought, your heart is affected as it creates a positive emotion. This emotion may be joy, gratitude or thankfulness. This way, the body reacts equally and creates positive vibrations. However, when your mind is focused on the negative side of your life, a negative thought or any sorts of drama, then the emotions generated are more about fear, doubt, grudge, or anger... In this case, I let guess the kind of reactions that your body can have which will depend on the maturity and the degree of self-control of the person. Make sure to start your day with a positive thought as it may impact your whole day.  

The turning point is how much over the day you are focused on the positive or the negative. When the balance is on the positive side, then you will feel happy and grateful. When it is from the negative side, then you will be most probably trapped in drama that will lead to depression. People in this case may try to search for external solutions while the solution is inside.

I had to handle a physical pain that lasted more than five years. I was constantly focused on the pain with all its inconveniences. The result was that I got even more pain; I had to go through seven surgeries during these five years in every corner of the world. The moment I decided to move my focus on the positive side of my life, then the intensity of the pain was lessened and a new opportunity crossed my way to go through a final surgery that made end to this pain.  I had struggled in ways no one knows about even the closest people to me. Being strong was the only option I had. Today, I am grateful as no one can take this away from me; this experience taught me to keep FOCUS on what matters most in life. This implies also that if you are going through a crisis or a hardship, focus on the gains and not the pain.  

The most important way to develop Focus is to go through a complete personal assessment in order to think deeply about what matters most to you in your life.        Five elements to consider which reflect my own approach to how to remain focused. The results will depend on you and on your determination.  

Set up clear Goals:

When you have no idea where you are going, then it becomes very easy to get dispersed in a useless energy and you start losing focus. But when your goals are set up clearly, then your Focus becomes meaningful.

Find your focus but ensure that is a positive focus that will guide you to attain the expected results. What you focus on today is what will determine your behavior, then your future. If you can’t maintain your focus, you won’t achieve the goal.

Avoid distraction:

We all seek to act beyond the perpetual distractions we face today. Distraction does not involve only disrupted technology, and all related subjects. It concerns also the disrupted people and thoughts that may hinder us from reaching our goals. Not everyone in your life is meant to be your friend. Choose to be with the people with whom you share the same dreams and the same values and not the people who will seek to discourage you and disrupt you from achieving your goals. 

I like comparing Focus to cleaning. When cleaning, we are all interested in preserving the objects of value and eliminate those with no more value or attachment. This is how we need to handle our life in a daily basis. Make a filter all along your way to keep an eye on the things, events, people, news, content….that are in line with your goals; that will empower you and not the opposite.  

  “The person who chases two rabbits catches neither.” Confucius

Develop small habits

Small habits are the daily activities that you install everyday to achieve your goals. What matters is not the giant steps that you make but these small habits that you respect and nurture on a daily basis. It does not matter how fast you are; what matters most is how determined and passionate about them.

 Develop Discipline:

Discipline is the most valuable asset you can develop and nurture. You can have a great vision, wonderful goals but without discipline, they will remain unattainable. But discipline without focus is nonsense. 

‘’We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of dermination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.’’ Jesse Owens

Keep Faith:

There is nothing more powerful than the power of faith: the confidence that things will go right despite being in the uncertainty. Henry Ford was bankrupt five times but he kept going thanks to his faith and inspiration. Thomas Edison failed ten thousands time to invent the electric light. It was faith and inspiration that kept him moving forward. There are tons of other examples. We tend to spend hours on reading about bad news than reading about inspiring life stories that can empower and guide us.

Don’t waste your time focusing on what you don’t want or what make you feel bad. Focus on what you would like to achieve. Find you focus: set up your goal, avoid distraction, and create small habits fueled by the discipline that you will install on a daily basis. Keep Faith as it is the only thing that will guide you to reach your goal and maintain focus.

 To develop more focus, try mindfulness or the conscious meditation discussed in my last article “Mindful leadership” https://flevy.com/blog/author/hanane-anoua/