by Carla Wasserfall
You are the CEO of YOU before any role in family, business or sport. As the CEO of you, you give yourself daily instructions to go in a direction, what you will focus on, and what you give your energy to.
Anthony Robbins is known for reminding us, “Where focus goes, energy flows”. Whatever your career path, energy is an asset and using your energy in the right direction can move you forward. That is the value of focus. Having focus is being clear on the vision you are moving towards. This vision can pull you forwards and give you clarity.
Why is staying focused so important?
There is so much noise and information overload in the day but the ability to focus on what you want and where you are going will set you apart. The are many other benefits to staying focused - it gives you momentum as you move forward in the same direction, you feel more productive, you decrease the level of stress you experience by eliminating noise, and you make better decisions aligned to your goals.
Here are a few steps to get you started on becoming more focused:
Identify your focus area: what is it that you really want to do and see change or achieve? Start by selecting this focus area. You can hire a coach who will guide you in the direction and help you find focus to get started and have an accountability partner.
Direct your attention: “What you focus on expands” is a famous quote, whatever you think about you attract more of the situation becomes bigger. Once you have identified the goal, direct your attention. We all have a RAS area in our brains called the Reticular Activating System that acts as a gatekeeper to allow what you pay attention to, but you are able to direct this with focus.
Write it down: when you feel that there is too much going on and do not know where to start, take a page and start to write down everything. It not only helps reduce the mental load but you create order from the chaos by simply writing it down to de-clutter the mind and this “encoding process” helps you remember things better too.
Envision your outcome: one way to move in the direction of your focus area and goal is to have a clear mental image of what it will look like when it is finished and to see yourself already achieving that outcome which also is very motivating.
Practice being mindful: mind wandering is really great but not when it comes to staying focused on the task. If you are finding your focus it is important to be in the present and practice mindfulness for productivity. One way to practice mindfulness is to be fully interested in the moment you are in and activating curiosity to the focus area you have chosen or your goal.
Keep moving with exercise: it will help your concentration and focus. When you are feeling overwhelmed or mentally blocked, take a walk outside in nature and you will soon gain more clarity.
We were made to move and finding focus means setting yourself up in a direction to move forward to reach your vision and enjoy the journey. As you move along your journey, take on the progress perspective, by asking: “What one thing can I focus on today that will move me closer to my goal?”
Think big and start small, and most importantly stay focused on who you are becoming.
Carla Wasserfall is the Director at Champions Uncovered, a business that “ignites greatness within” through Personal Leadership Development, Strategic Wellness and Coaching. A continuous learner with an Honours in Business and Applied Neuroscience Certification and Coaching. As woman who walks the talk in wellness by completing the 70.3 ironman triathlon event, she brings this Business Athlete mindset to empower you on your life journey.