Focus

Before we Get Under Way

Hi Guys. Well, we have finally sorted dates, times, venues, booking system and ticketing for our Renovate Your Life national tour. Here’s it is…

Perth – Sunday, Sept. 14, State Library of WA
Adelaide – Saturday, Sept. 20, Adelaide State Library
Brisbane – Sunday, Oct. 19, The Brisbane Power House
Sydney – Sunday, Oct. 26, State Library of NSW
Melbourne – Sunday, Nov. 2, Harper’s Personal Training

To find out more about the workshop and/or book your place, click here.

On with Today’s Post…

Do you ever feel like you spend lots of time doing lots of stuff, while not really achieving very much in the process? Very busy doing nothing in particular? Almost creating amazing in your world but never quite getting there? Does it seem like you’ve been at the threshold of the ‘new and improved you’ for far too long? Well if you’re like many people, then you’ve probably got too many balls in the air. Perhaps it’s time for you to sharpen your focus, prioritise your needs and goals, and make some logical, practical decisions about where and how you invest your time and energy; how you run your life. Your time and energy is finite so why not invest it wisely. Haven’t you been frustrated and exhausted for long enough?

Some thoughts on getting focused:

1. Stop trying to do fifty things at once - you’ll only end up doing lots of things badly. Yes, I know you think you have super powers and that the laws of physics don’t apply to you, but they do. You can’t bend time, you can’t be in six places at once, you can’t juggle twenty balls at once, you can’t keep everyone happy (and it isn’t your job), you can’t live without sleep and you can’t create different results by doing the same dumb things and making the same mistakes. Trying to do too many things invariably results in frustration, exhaustion, disappointment and interestingly, under achievement. Sometimes you need to work smarter not harder.

2. Get clear about what you want (and don’t want). The sooner we gain clarity and certainty about what we want to do, be and create in our world, the sooner we will begin to create real momentum and see better outcomes. The more vague and general we are about our goals and objectives (our reason for being), the less likely we are to succeed. We need a sense of ‘absolute purpose’ about what we’re doing, creating and becoming. Give me someone with less talent and more purpose and I’ll show a success story in the making.

3. Get serious and committed. Wishy-washy ain’t where it’s at and to be honest, too many of us aren’t prepared to do the tough stuff. We get distracted and lose focus too easily and too often. We throw in the towel in a heart beat. Success ain’t always easy but we don’t like that message so we continue to look for the shortcut and the magic pill. We want success to fall on our head from a great height. Staying focused and committed to our plan when it ain’t fun, easy, enjoyable or painless is what separates the men from the boys. So to speak.

4. Prioritise and manage your time better. Sometimes we need to make some life-changing decisions and give some things the flick from our life. Or at the very least, put some things on hold. Determine what will be the best use of your time and energy right now. Stop wasting your valuable time and start investing it into the things that matter to you most (where you will get the best return).

5. Don’t let your emotions get in the way of your potential. Sometimes when I’m at the threshold of achieving something amazing, the insecure, fat fourteen year-old (me as a kid) shows up and does his best to distract me from my mission and talk me out of succeeding. Fortunately, I have installed an ‘over-ride’ button to help me keep my focus where it needs to be. I have enough external challenges, I don’t need to be shooting myself in the foot along the way! Neither do you.

6. Don’t let others distract you or sabotage your efforts. It’s amazing how helpful some people can be when you’re trying to create your best life. Especially when you’re passionate, committed, productive and focused. For some reason, your success will bother them. For years I have had people tell me that I am obsessed. I guess it makes them feel better about themselves and their miserable, unhappy existence if they can criticise me. They don’t wanna hear that my obsession is actually discipline, passion and focus and that I’m healthy, happy and fulfilled. Some people seem to make a habit of being critical of the positive behaviours, qualities and habits of others (hard working, disciplined, passionate, focused) by insulting them with negative labels (obsessed, unbalanced, selfish). Oh well.

The Last Bit

Sure there are plenty of ingredients in the success recipe, but without the ability to focus, our chance of succeeding is slim. At best. As long as we keep trying to juggle those twenty balls, we’ll stay frustrated and exhausted. I’d rather do a few things well, than twenty things badly. You?

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Ciao x