Focus – It Actually Works!

fo·cus

/ˈfōkəs/
noun
the center of interest or activity.
the state or quality of having or producing definition.
verb
pay particular attention to.

 

Focus people!  Eliminate the distractions that are affecting your thoughts/abilities, and be prepared for results of a magnitude that exceeds what you thought was possible!

Yeah, I know.  That sounds like either the opening line of a self-help book or the introduction to a Quantum Physics 101 class.

Disregarding the literary license taken by an author or professor, could it actually be true?  If we strive to remain  focused, direct our attention and efforts on singular aspects, can we achieve more?

The answer is quite simple.  Yes, yes you can!

focus on what is important

A significant return of increasing your focus is the elimination of aspects that can deplete valuable resources – time and money.

Although monetary investment may be recouped through long-term profits, time can not.  Once spent on nonproductive aspects, there is no way to -bank- time for an increased return.  It’s simply gone.  [I won’t go into leveraging time management here, as that is not the focus of this post. However, it can be a benefit of  staying  focused as you progress.]

As we identify and discard those things not to do, we begin to have a clearer idea of what we NEED to do.

Although we do need to –see the bigger picture- we want, we have to ensure that proper attention is given to the aspects that can make that happen.  Too often we delve into the “I can do it all” mindset, leading to wasted time/money, and often missing the things that could have made it work in the process.

Allow me to elaborate with a short (for me!) story about an associate in the Traffic Exchange and Internet Marketing venue.

*  *  *  

A woman, whom I shall call Ms. H, came into the original Net Marketing Forum full of optimism and a desire to learn.  She spent her time asking questions, talking and building relationships with those that could help her and, basically, doing everything she needed to move ahead.

And move she did!

She started a traffic exchange utilizing the knowledge she garnered, partnered with those that could help her promote it, and launched a fairly successful small business model.  She attended seminars, created strategic alliances, and her business slowly grew.  Ms. H. was set, life was good!  Or was it?

Somewhere along the path, she decided that since she had one moderately profitable business, more would be better!  Soon after, she owned/developed several (cookiecutter) TE’s, a mailer, two gaming sites, was working on an affiliate ebook concept and – well, you get the idea.

When asked about it, her response was usually along the lines of “I see the big picture for this market, and I am going to change how TE’s are looked at and used”.

It was soon obvious that as she sought that big picture, the -game changer- as it were, that she had failed to focus on any of the aspects in it.  She had invested so much of her time and money in chasing the -idea- that she had none left for the needs of the individual aspects to actually succeed.

That original TE, the one she had focused all her energies into and had success with?  It quickly faded into obscurity, lost in the attempt to do it all.

The truly sad part of this?  Along the way, opportunities were presented that could have significantly enhanced her ability to achieve what she wanted.  Her focus was so diverse, though, that she failed to realize how substantial they could have been to her original program.  She managed to transform opportunity into failure.

Today, only a select few would even remember her.  Ms. H. became a footnote in the annals of business – just another TE owner, one of many that have been lost on the internet.

*  *  *  

focus to create

It is your actions that determine your returns.

How we approach things ultimately determines the success, or failure, of whatever it is.

We all need to strive to find our focusthe center of [our] interest or activity, and then pay particular attention to the development needed to achieve it.

I can not stress this enough.

Starting TODAY, evaluate where your focus is.  Begin to determine those things not to do, and take action to correct them.   Look to the past, those times when lack of focus led you astray, to begin to shape your future.  Learn.  Find the means to create your reality.  Yes, you can do this!

Imagine that . . .

Focus – it actually works!

.

With Sincere Thanks

Richard Taylor

“The only limits we have are those you impose upon yourself. Remove the limits!”

Follow my current adventures on Twitter

4 thoughts to “Focus – It Actually Works!”

  1. I know exactly who you are talking about as well. But it’s a very good lesson. The dirty dirty F word….Focus!

    1. You and I are probably the only people here that will remember who she was!

      It’s a sad example of how losing -focus- can destroy an opportunity.

      I wish I had some secret-amazing-magical advice on how people can remain focused on what is important, but I don’t. We all have to learn what -works- for us.

      My best advice? Learn not only from your past but from others that have overcome the obstacles that led them down the wrong path on their journey. Take the time for honest introspection, and move forward.

      I have made the same mistakes in the past. Each time, I learned how to improve in the future. Am I perfect? Not hardly! But far better equipped today than when we sat around a video conference room in 2001.

      I must repeat this – FOCUS, it really does work! 🙂

      1. I have been in contact with her over the years. She has moved on. Still enjoy hitting the casinos with her and the hubby when down in that area. 🙂

        What have you been up to? Been a LONG time!

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