Last episode I interviewed Omar Zenhom about how to “Focus To Succeed." Afterwards, several ideas emerged for me that led to the topic "Focus Without Focus."
“Focus to Succeed” only works when we are focused on the essential projects that help us move forward.
Our focus has to be on target.
Moreover, if we take focus as the acronym F.O.C.U.S – Follow One Course Until Success – we should intentionally strategize about the "One Course” to be sure that it take us where we want to go.
This concept is especially meaningful for me, because I can focus easily, but not always on the right direction.
I consider myself a workaholic, because I’m truly compelled to do my work. I love what I do. It’s so easy to get in the work mode and stay there.
Yet – and this is the dark side of workaholism – it’s very easy for me to get busy and focus my attention on chores that aren't that important – they don’t help me finish a project, or they help me finish a project, but not the project I should be working on.
It’s easy to get stuck in busyness
This was one of my mindset blindspots. It was a turning point when I realized that busyness can be a form of procrastination.
There is instant gratification by checking off our To-Do List. Yet, if this list keeps us on the proverbial hamster wheel, we will not move to where we want to go.
So nowadays, a try to avoid being focus without focus by taking timeouts to reflect about:
1- My overall goals
2- How specific projects can help achieve those goals
3- Why to achieve those goals is so meaningful for me.
I force myself not to have too many major goals at any one time, because this helps me to keep my priorities clear.
Another turning point, was when I read the book Essentialism, from Greg McKeown, and learned that when the word “priority" came into the English language in the 1400s, it was used in the singular form only. It meant the very first thing. And it was used in the singular for more than five hundred years. Only in the 1900s, did it begin to be common to talk about “priorities."
I find it powerful to force myself to pick a priority for my business week. That helps me to have a clear goal that I set my mind to achieve.
For instance, every week I write down the answer to this question:
If I could get nothing else done this week but ONE THING, what one thing would I choose to do?What one thing would make me happy and proud?
In conclusion, the main culprit that keeps us stuck in the focus without focus is not to know our priority.
This awereness helped me move from a busyness mindset to a more intentional mindset – and took my business to the next level.
How about you?
Do you find yourself also focused without focus?
Do you have your priority crystal clear?
As always, I love to hear your comments and learn about your experiences.