September 26, 2011

The 2 Reasons Why You Lose Focus

The gap between aspiration and achievement is focus. Good intentions aren't good enough when it comes to accomplishing your goals. What if you knew the two reasons why you lose focus?

 
Fear of the unknown and fear of failure. Remember trying something for the first time? If you don't know what to expect it can sometimes prevent you from trying it at all. If you have a tendency to dwell on past failures, it makes it nearly impossible to succeed in the present. Don't let fear stop you from staying focused on your goals. Instead, treat past experiences like a blank slate. The past doesn't predict the future, so give yourself a fresh start by moving forward and stay in the present.

Greed. Picture this gambling example. The emotional gambler lets greed drive his/her decisions. They bet based on how they feel. Since feelings are unstable, they're not a good gauge for making decisions. On the other hand, a logical person sets a plan ahead of time by setting a limit on how much he/she spends. This prevents you from making poor decisions based on what's happening. In life, there are times we go for too much. Being ambitious is one thing, but being careless is another. Don't get greedy when it comes to your goals. Set your goals lofty, but be realistic. Don't get caught up in the chase. Remember what you're after.

Imagine fear and greed at the ends of a spectrum. Staying focused means being disciplined enough to stay between the extremes. Increase your chances by asking someone to keep you accountable. Set milestones along the way to build momentum. Fear and greed are distractions. Stay focused on your dreams and they will eventually become reality . What's keeping you from staying focused today?

2 comments:

  1. I find this an overly simplistic argument. I honestly can I say I am not at all afraid of failing. Anyone in sales would immediately understand that in this field there is a lot more failure than success. On the other hand I am not greedy either as any of of my relatives and friends will attest. The only reason I personally lose focus is because of the avalanche of information I must review to stay on top of my business. So how about adding a third factor ...overwhelmed by a an information tsunami!

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  2. John, I appreciate your thoughts and can agree with your opinion. The 2 factors weren't intended to be an exclusive list, but something I learned from a book I read and agreed with. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It adds to the community of readers here!

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Thanks for your comment!