The Power of Focus
By Gary Gzik

When you think about setting and reaching goals, you must in turn consider focus. If you cannot keep your focus, it is very unlikely that you will ever reach your goal. However, when you focus on something - especially something you are passionate about - your creativity will flow and your mind will concentrate its power on that goal.

Think of it this way . . . you are on a road. You know where you want to go in the end, you have a picture of it, but you have no idea how to get there. You're not even sure the name of the place you're going. So as you're driving along, you may see signs, and pass them by without even knowing it. You'll probably make a few wrong turns. Also, as you're driving along, you may notice some antique stores. You stop to look in those. Then you notice some historical plaques, and decide those would be fun to read too. With all this in mind - how long will it take you to reach where you wanted to go in the first place?

Focus is like a road map. When you have focus, you have the map to get to where you are going. Focus will provide you with a clear destination, and allow you to map out how to get there. Focus will also keep you on track, and not allow you to get distracted along the way. If you let your attention constantly jump from one task to a different task, it will be very difficult to ever get anything done. Simply asking yourself every moment "is this the best thing I could be doing right now to get me to where I want to be", and planning your time accordingly, will assist you in setting your priorities.

Maintaining focus is not always an easy task. It is important you try to only focus on one thing at a time, and work hard at keeping your mind on the task at hand. In order to do this, immerse yourself in the topic of your goal. Learn about it, read magazines about it, talk about it, whatever you can to be as learned about it as you can. Keep it forefront in your mind. Write yourself notes and stick them up on your desk or fridge. Put your goal in your success journal, and plan out your weekly goals to meet the long term destination. Plan time each and every day to focus your mind on your goal and work on it.

The power of focus is unmistakeable. It is the compass that will lead you in the correct direction, and it will determine the success rate of your goal. Remember, as Peter McWilliams said "Our thoughts create our reality - where we put our focus is the direction we tend to go." Make sure you're focus is clear, and is laid out on the path you need it to be on.

For more information on opportunities to better the communication in your team, please contact Gary Gzik.