Being Focused in Life

What does it mean to be focused?

"I'm pretty focused," you say. "I go to work and I concentrate on getting the job done well. Ha! I know about focused."

That's great! You apply yourself so that you can feed yourself and your family, and keep a roof over your head. It shows that you take your responsibilities seriously towards other people.

That's good.

Now let's think about you for a minute. Think about what you need and where it is that you're headed. You want to be living a rich and fulfilling life experience; you have dreams of where you want to be and you have a real purpose in life.

Do you sometimes find that because daily life gets in the way your attention is distracted from that purpose? Sometimes the road feels rocky and your determination and commitment fall away just a little. The challenge becomes just that little bit too challenging.

Wouldn't it be easier, you think, to ease off for a bit? Even just to turn away and get back to the way things were before? It was easier then.

These are signals. They're a way of your old self trying to come up with reasons for not continuing with the challenge. They are reminding you of that old worry about this being all new and untested. It is uncharted waters.

Scary.

Even worse, you may find that you're listening to other people who might not want you to continue on that course because they themselves find such a journey too challenging or haven't understood why you have chosen the path that you have.

Being focused means being able to ignore those distractions that tempt you away from your path, but remember that the last thing you need to do is beat yourself up about it. It's just a slight pothole in the road.

You can allow yourself to feel these insecurities and these doubts, and learn from them. To recognise them for what they are - mere distractions - and turn your heart once more to the path of your life's journey.

Welcome the falterings and the doubts. Welcome them with open arms, because they strengthen you by your overcoming them. Learn from them.

And keep your eye on the path in front of you. That is being focused.