Are you a proud multi-tasker?
If your answer to that question is “yes,” the power of focus is probably eluding you.
To focus means to concentrate attention or energy on something.
Focus requires discipline. Focus doesn’t happen by chance.
Without the ability to focus, to concentrate on your goals, your chances of bringing your goals to fruition are slim.
Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, of Chicken Soup for the Soul fame, are two of the co-authors of the book, The Power of Focus. In the introduction, the authors note: “Remember, it’s all about focus. The main reason most people struggle professionally and personally is lack of focus.”
In an interview with Entrepreneur magazine, John Osher, serial entrepreneur, cites lack of focus as one of the most common mistakes that causes start-ups to fail: “Many entrepreneurs go in too many directions at once and do not execute anything well.”
The ability to focus is mandatory if you are to achieve your goals. Personal goals or professional goals. It doesn’t matter. The bottom line: winning requires that you focus or you will lose.
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This is an interesting topic as my daughters (now 16 & 21) are part of a generation that prides itself on the ability to multi-task and we have had many discussions about that. The challenge is how to prioritize in order to focus, and how to discipline yourself to ignore the many distractions tugging at us constantly.
21-year-old daughter’s thoughts on focus in a generation of multitaskers, over-extenders, and altogether too much stimulation:
In this day and age, focusing on one’s goals (or even just on the task at hand) is both a struggle with oneself AND a struggle with the rest of the world. Between email, text messages, Twitter, feed readers, social networking sites, television, and music, we’re constantly overstimulated and overwhelmed. Our friends and coworkers seem to constantly be taking on more and more tasks, and they pressure us to over-extend ourselves in the same fashion. It can be incredibly difficult to focus on a task or to decline an opportunity to over-extend. However, turning off email notifications and focusing on only the most important activities definitely has amazing effects, both in productivity and clarity of mind. If only we could explain this to the students on my college campus…
(With all of that said, since the time I started writing this post, I have visited 3 different websites and checked both of my email accounts, so I’m clearly still working on improving my focus…)
C.K. – Thank you so much for your comments. Unfortunately I don’t have a lot of interaction with your generation, so I love having your input. I must (respectfully) pose a question: what is the benefit to you – and your contemporaries – of the constant twittering, texting, social networking, emailing? I’m asking this because I see the benefit to some extent, but I wonder why it must be constant.
Nancy, Thanks for your comments. One of my favorite questions I suggest my clients ask themselves constantly throughout the day: “What is the most important thing for me to be doing – right now?” Answering that question helps me focus.
Reading your post this morning could not have been more timely! Now that we are in the new year (and having survived 2009) I like most entrepreneurs are in the throws of launching new campaigns and projects. I find myself inundated with daily tasks and staying “on task” is the nemesis of every working day. Lists get longer and priorities are reorganized like a chess game. I (and perhaps many) have taken multi-tasking to an entirely new level.
Thank you for a most insightful post and I look forward to reading what other people have to say about their daily experiences and gaining more advice and perhaps resources or practices others use.
Thanks for your comments, Karen. “Multi-tasking at an entirely new level,” you say. Hmmmm. Here’s a question for you to ponder: is this type of multi-tasking serving you well, or is there another/better way? That’s a coaching question -can’t help myself – no need to reply here.
Valerie:
This is a great reminder of priorities. Yep I multi-task way too much, and definitely take my eye off the goal.
I appreciate today’s post. Now I’m really looking forward to checking with you daily.
Thanks for all you incredible guidance.
Jackie, and those of us who are solopreneurs… a colleague once said to me “The only thing you should be doing with your time during the work day is getting a paying client or serving a paying client.”
I just love that!
It’s true… multitasking is vastly over-rated (in my opinion). We think we’re getting stuff done and accomplished on several different things at once, when we’re just finding constant sources of distraction. And by the end of the day (at least for me), there are still just as many things “hanging” as there were at the start of the day. Better to FOCUS on one thing until it’s completion (or as best we can complete it at the moment), and then move on to the next.
Focus has certainly been my biggest challenge in creating my own business. I always read Valerie’s stuff with interest for maintaining my “focus” … keeping my “eyes on the prize.”
Thanks;
Bill S.
Bill – and everyone who’s posted here so far… There are so many bright shiny objects to distract us from the business – or pleasure for that matter! – at hand.
Just how does one stay focused?
Hmmm… I think there’s a topic here for another blog post.
Thanks, Valerie, for the pithy reminder to `focus’. Enjoyed my Polaroid days and was constantly reminded of the importance of focusing – nobody appreciates blurry pics; in the context of our activities – this is about `aiming’ and `prioritizing’ … getting to the `heart of the matter’ and following-through; lots of lists, tasks, goals, intentions, etc … you’ve really helped with this reminder to `focus’ … `one thing at a time, heh’!
Jon, I find “one thing at a time” is how I’m most productive. It seems everyone agrees, but it’s a challenge for most of us! Thanks for your comments.
Focus…ah yes, it is the key to success. “Follow One Course Until Successful.” It is my mantra for 2010, and it is a LOT easier said than done… especially with only 24 hours in a day!
Sue, I love your new mantra…. and I agree – a lot easier said than done. Good luck with it.
Valerie, like Sue I too added one thing at a time to my resolutions for the new year. It occurred to me when she mentioned only 24 hrs in the day…when I was younger working 14 hours a day was a walk in the park, such is not the case today. Mentally I’m still that young but the reality is I am not. I find using my Peer Success Group weekly and monthly goal sheets helps create my daily goal/priority list. It also helps (as my coach taught me) to start my day with a non-negtiable routine to mentally focus! I’ve even trained the dog/cat this time is mine and they have learned not to make any demands until I’m ready. I love this Post!
Focus! I couldn’t agree more, whenever I feel overwhelmed I know it’s because I’ve lost focus. This was a perfect reminder for me. I’ve printed out FOCUS on an index card and propped it up near my computer as a reminder. When I feel pulled off task, I will look at the card, remember your wise words and re-focus myself and my energy to do the right thing – not the next thing. Thanks so much!
YAY! The RIGHT thing, not the next thing. The most important thing, not the next thing. Thanks Deb.
Valerie,
Congratulations! You’re always on the forward edge of thinking and performance. The ability to “focus” is critical to high impact performance and achieving and/or exceeding ones goals.
I’ve had the privilege and honor to have been associated with and coach former Olympians. What sets them apart is not only their talent but their ability to focus on one thing and block out everything else.
Two important expressions come to mind in our “multi-tasking” world: “Focus on the critical few, not the insignicant many”. Anonymous AND a Chinese proverb: “When you chase two rabbits, they both get away”.
Lets all focus on this: Making 2010 our best year ever!!
Thank you and keep up the great work.
Barry, “Focus on the critical few…” A great quote. Solopreneurs come to mind here. For those of us who work alone from home, it’s very easy to allow ourselves to get caught up in “the insignificant many.” Then again, I suppose it applies to everyone. Thanks Barry.