Aspire Higher

Let’s have a confession session. Do you struggle with staying focused? I must say at times this can be difficult for me and takes real concentration and meditation before I can bring my mind to successfully focus for a long period of time. However, focus is absolutely necessary for success in life. We must focus on our vision, our goals and the assignment at hand to successfully accomplish what we set out to do. Dr. Myles Munroe used an eagle’s focus on their prey to articulate the importance of Focus:

Eagles have strong vision, which focuses up to 5 kilometers from the air. When an eagle sites prey- even a rodent from this distance, he narrows his focus on it and sets out to get it. No matter the obstacle, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it. Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle and you will succeed.

Keep your vision in front of you and focus on accomplishing our goals like the eagle focuses on its prey. Direct your attention and concentration on achieving your goals. Make sure you make the necessary adjustments so that you can have clear image, perception and understanding of what it takes to be successful at fulfilling your vision. You can start with a vision board to spark your motivation each day to help you stay focused. Remember it doesn’t matter what you see with your natural vision, stay focused on THE VISION that is in your mind and in your heart. 

We have to be aware that there are going to be many things that come to try and distract us from achieving our goals. The distractions could come in the form of friends, relatives, or temptation of watching television when you know you have work to get done. There will also be challenges that arise in life that can get you of course, but we must remember that every obstacle can be overcome. Some people may even have a disorder that has been identified by the medical community as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).The medical definition according to Webster is a developmental disorder that is marked especially by persistent symptoms of inattention (such as distractibility, forgetfulness, or disorganization) or by symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity (such as fidgeting, speaking out of turn, or restlessness) or by symptoms of all three and that is not caused by any serious underlying physical or mental disorder. I am sure that some of you may identify these symptoms in your children or even in yourselves.  I am not taking a position for any type of medication that is on the market for this, nor am I seeking to discuss this issue. However, it is absolutely necessary to monitor your levels of distractibility, forgetfulness and disorganization. Your identification of these levels will help you to put structures and processes in place for yourself that will help you to overcome these issues and OPTIMIZE YOUR FOCUS.

How do you optimize your focus? Personally, I have to go into prayer and meditation and have complete silence when I am reading and writing. I don’t know what it takes for you to remain focused, but it is absolutely necessary for you to identify what your unique process is.  I know some people listen to music or need some type of background noise like the television to focus. Ericson Myers states, that we should control internal distractions, remove external distractions, and visualize ourselves doing the task at hand (http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-critical-tips-prevent-distraction-and-sharpen-your-focus.html). Sometimes looking at the entire vision in the moment can overwhelm you and cause you to become stagnant. Toni Dent-McNair states the following as her process for optimizing focus: “It takes practice but, you tell your mind to tap in to one specific thing. By doing so, you can observe everything about that “thing.” I first started with objects like trees. I began to see things about the tree I had never noticed before. Then, you begin to apply this action to everything.”.