Social Media, TV, Radio, The News, Friends, Family, The Boss, Children, Pets… The list goes on, and this is just a snap shot of the things that demand our attention each and every day.
No wonder we see people in a constant state of disorientation, drifting their way through life hoping that the lucky break will land in their lap. Overwhelmed with the tasks at hand, then frustrated that our efforts are not producing the results we had hoped for.
If only we knew that the real reason we drift, and get less than expected results was due to the amount of time spent reacting to everyone else’s demands and needs. Study anyone who has achieved anything remarkable, be that fortune, status or an abundant life, and you will discover the pattern they all share is FOCUS.
Its the focus to get things done, to get moving forward, the focus to see a project through that separates the drifters from the achievers. The sad truth is that the drifters usually are hard workers, and trust worthy too, they just don’t have the determined action that drives the unwavering focus.
One of my favourite quotes from Napoleon Hill:
“If you are one of those who believe that hard work and honesty, alone, will bring riches, perish the thought! It is not true! Riches, when they come in huge quantities, are never the result of HARD work! Riches come, if they come at all, in response to definite demands, based upon the application of definite principles, and not by chance or luck.”
This quote has served me well over the years, and reminds us on a constant basis that hard work, and honesty alone is not enough to live the good life we truly desire. We need to maintain focus, and take massive DETERMINED action, nothing else will give you the results you require.
So hear are three areas we face each day that distract is from our focus, which cripples us from creating the lifestyle we desire. And we actually end up doing nothing more than reacting to these three demanding areas.
Worry:
A large proportion of our time is spent worrying, this can be things thats happened, or even things to come. Either way, whenever you worry about something you surrender you guard, and lose focus on creating. Another word we are all very familiar with is FEAR, we fear what maybe the consequences of previous actions, or fear the future.
Worrying is like a rocking chair. It keeps you occupied for a while, but never gets your anywhere.
Pleasure:
Because we are constantly surrounded with a triad of problems, the news is pumped full of negativity, the radio is doom and gloom, and the papers don’t give much more hope. And pretty much any social media channels you use will you also find badly treated pets, crime videos, disrespect to the law, and people complaining about how they have been done wrong too.
Its no wonder we look for things to give us quick bursts of pleasure. Quick, clean the desk, that will fix everything. We desperately try to find something to validate us, and make us feel worthwhile, and instead of spending our time focussing on the tasks we should be doing, tasks that will actually give us the life we dream of we look for quick fixes.
Other People
People email, they call, they visit and we stop everything to service their demands. Technology was supposed to remove many of the burdens we face, but instead increased them. We are now more accessible than ever, and all these demands from other people constantly pull us away from the creating processes we set out to achieve.
To master the art of creating and not reacting, like anything new takes discipline, and will challenge you, make you uncomfortable and probably make you want to quit many times. But if you are true to your dreams, true to your goals, and true to YOU and your desires then you must find the focus to see things through.
You may have heard the saying ‘Failing to plan is planning to fail’ and failing to plan will be the biggest culprit which pulls you out of your focussed state. I plan everything, and I have found that those who plan the most, and are most organised receive the most success.
Success loves organisation, and rewards it greatly!
I personally choose to plan my entire week on a Sunday evening, and literally spend two, sometimes three hours planning everything I need to do, want to do and have to do for the commencing week.
Then each morning I write down my plan for the day, I try to ensure as much of my day as possible is spent working on MY plan, creating the life I want and not just reacting to what others need. I keep busy so have little time to lose focus on things such as fear, and give myself ample time in the evening to appreciate the day and gain pleasure from the success each day has given me.
Sounds pretty easy, but don’t be fooled, this is a big change to everything you have ever done before. And its easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, the reasons why you’re doing this in the first place. So be sure you remind yourself why throughout the day, I choose to carry around a GOAL CARD (You can grab on from my website for FREE under the ‘Products/free resources’) this little aid helps to keep you focussed when you’re feeling a little distracted.
Remember to tell yourself each day, if you’re not CREATING, then you are REACTING and reacting will not get you the results you desire.
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