FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION ON WHAT MATTERS MOST

Are you focusing your attention on what matters most?

Or easily distracted by unwanted circumstances?

This article will provide you valuable decision-making tips to focus your attention on what you want because…

What You Focus on Expands and Grows Stronger.

How do you decide which opportunities are most important to you and your organization with the vast number of possibilities that compete for your and your team’s precious resources?

It’s helpful to have a reliable method for determining which opportunities to focus on. Then you can focus your attention on your intention. Those things you are passionate about that will generate the results you desire.

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” ~Oprah Winfrey

I have found that understanding scientific principles helps me immensely.

During my 35 years of professional facilitation and personal experience, I have grown to know the value and power of a universal principle that has helped me and my clients to make effective, timely decisions that yield phenomenal results.

Here is a law that I like to consciously apply to my decisions, The Law of Attraction:

• It states that “whatever we focus our attention upon gains strength and attracts more of the same.”
• It is perhaps the most consistent and visible demonstration of the scientific Law of Cause and Effect—where every action has a reaction.
• In essence, what you focus on expands and grows stronger. Its law!
• So, doesn’t it make sense to focus upon what you want, rather than upon what you don’t want?

When you focus your attention (thoughts, feelings, words, and actions) upon your intention (Purpose, Values, Mission, Vision, Goals, etc.), you send a clear message to your employees and customers about what’s important to you and your organization.

Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem

This story might help shed more light on the power of focusing on what you want (desires and aspirations) instead of what you don’t want (fear and problems).

Patch Adams focusing on the problem…

If you have ever seen the movie Patch Adams—based on a true story—you will remember that Robin Williams, who played Patch, checked himself into a mental hospital to try to escape his problems. As an orderly escorted Patch to the common area, a resident patient jumped in front of Patch, held up four fingers in front of his face, and franticly asked, “How many? How many fingers?” Flustered, Patch responded quickly, “Four!” In disgust, the patient blurted, “IDIOT!” and ran off.

Patch Adams learning to focus on the solution..

Soon, Patch discovered that the patient was a brilliant scientist named Arthur Mendelson. In a subsequent scene, Patch entered Arthur’s room and asked what the four fingers meant. Arthur asked Patch to hold up four fingers in front of his face. Then, Arthur asked again, “How many?” Patch again said, “Four.” Then Arthur told Patch not to focus on the fingers–to look across the room past the fingers. When Patch looked past his fingers, they appeared to be transparent; and he instead saw eight fingers. Patch said, “Eight!” “That’s right!” Arthur encouraged Patch. “Don’t focus on the problem—focus on the solution.”

Applying Arthur’s wisdom of focusing on solutions and goals, you will discover that problems don’t appear so daunting.

That’s what goal setting will do for you and your organization—it will cause you to focus on what you want and what is important and constructive.

Improving and Accelerating Decision-Making

As I mentioned in my previous article on Vision, by taking time to clarify your Purpose, Values, Mission, and Vision, you form the “Cone of Influence” for your organization. Your Cone of Influence:

• Paints a clear picture of what success looks like to you and your team.
• Helps to IMPROVE DECISION-MAKING so you quickly know what to say “yes” to, and what to say “no” to. Here’s how:
• The stars in the above graphic represent POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES to expend or invest resources…
• Any stars outside your Cone of Influence represent those you should not include in your planning. They are not in alignment with the direction and focus of your organization. They are a waste of precious time, energy, and resources. You should say “no” to these.
• Those stars within your Cone of Influence represent opportunities that you could develop or undertake, depending on available resources. These are opportunities in ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT IS IMPORTANT to your organization that you can say “yes” to.

Focusing on What Matters Most

To be successful as an organization, make sure that everything you and your employees do is in alignment with what is important to the organization. In essence, keep “focusing your attention on your intention.”

It is all about assuring that, in each present moment—right now—you and your team focus on what matters most to your organization.

By setting Goals in alignment with your Cone of Influence, you create alignment with what’s important to you, your team, and your organization.

In summation, here’s how it works:

• The Purpose, Values, Mission, and Vision form the “Cone of Influence” of your organization. These elements define the depth and breadth of what is important to your organization. The loftier the Vision, the wider is the Cone of Influence.
• The stars represent opportunities to expend or invest resources. Stars that are located outside the Cone of Influence represent opportunities to which you should quickly say “no.” They are not in alignment with your chosen direction for the organization.
• Stars that appear within the Cone of Influence represent opportunities to which you could say “yes,” depending on available resources and other priorities. These are opportunities in alignment with what is important to your organization.
• When Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Action Plans are developed for those opportunities within the Cone of Influence, they will help fulfill the Purpose, Mission, Values and Vision of your organization. Any pursuits of opportunities outside that band width will be wasted, scattered energy.
• Make a conscious choice to focus your attention on your intentions in each present moment of “Now”.

What will you do within the next week to assure that your organization is focused on what matters most?

Much success and fulfillment,

Ray

If you enjoyed this article, I think you’ll also enjoy these articles too:

• The Power of Purpose
• Creating a Culture with Core Values
• Generate Mission-Centered Enthusiasm
• Expand Your Power and Influence with Vision.

Also, this FREE online class will shine more of a light on the Power of Values and other elements of strategic planning…

Click this link to my resources page to get access to my FREE Strategic Planning 101 online class.

I am happy to talk if you have questions or want assistance with strategic planning. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute energizer Zoom call.