Following up on “Are You Able to Focus?“, we’ll look at transforming busy-ness into action steps that actually move us toward an intentional, fulfilling goal.
First, know your goals! What is it you want to accomplish?
Determine and write out your dreams and desires. This is a fantastic habit. Once you know your long range goals you can break them into bite-sized, achievable actions. If you don’t have a target, you’ll never hit it.
It’s important to begin with the end in mind and be totally clear about the results you seek. When you focus on what you want – the results – you begin to design your daily life around making progress toward achieving it.
If you’re not satisfied with the results of your life so far, perhaps you’re asking the wrong question.
Want a better result? Ask a better question. Your brain can come up with an answer to any question you ask it. Focus and clarity begin with the question, “What do I want?”
When focusing on what you want and how to achieve it, the daily things that are wasting your time become obvious. Most people walk around randomly, passing time without direction only to end up frustrated and asking, “is this all there is?”
For example you may have on your list for today, “Call John Smith.” You make the call, cross it off your list, but haven’t accomplished anything meaningful from it.
Once you have clear goals and a defined purpose, you no longer focus on a huge list of to-dos but on a smaller number of results or outcomes. It’s only 20 percent of what you do in life that makes 80 percent of the difference. How powerful would it be to make that other 80 percent count?
Next, determine why you want it. What is your reason, your purpose, your passion? Is it to have more money? A better life? Better health? More time with family? To be able to contribute more to others?
Your “why” is what will carry you toward your goals even when things are difficult. You need a big enough reason to carry you all the way to success.
Once you know what you really want, ask yourself – Why do I want it? – What will it give me? – How will it make me feel? Without a strong enough “why” people rarely follow through.
Finally, you’re ready to create the action plan that guides you down the path to achievement. Your focus becomes actions that produce the result you’ve committed to. Once your goal is clear and you have the passion to make it happen, discovering how to get there becomes obvious.
There are many ways to achieve a result. With a clear vision and a powerful reason, you’ll move through any obstacles to get to your goal.
Change your focus, change your life:
- Be absolutely clear about what you want.
- Have a big enough reason so your emotions give you the drive to follow through.
- Create a plan that gives you the greatest amount of possibility to make it happen.
Focus on the result you want to achieve and the purpose behind it. It’s your passion that will allow you to not only achieve your dreams, but enjoy yourself during the process.
What are you doing to accomplish your goals? Here’s to your success!
