I’ve spent the better part of the last ten years – literally – telling myself that I have a focus problem. I’ve used different words to tell myself my own pain story. It goes something like this …
“I can’t focus. I can’t concentrate. I can’t finish anything.”
Equal sign (=) I’m a failure. The resulting story? I became the woman who couldn’t focus to get anything done.
But truthfully? I’ve managed to focus quite nicely on that negative identity for myself … and eventually I manifested it with utter perfection.
So … I can focus. I have focused. I just produced something I didn’t want. But the practical point is this:
If I can do it with negative things, I can do it with positive things. And if I can do it once, I can do it again.
Negative things are just easier to produce because we already believe in them. We have “proof” from the past. When I tell myself I can’t focus, I’ve got a whole slew of memories that show me I’m “right.”
So to focus and produce something I want – something positive that helps people – there are four conditions I’ve learned to adhere to.
Focus on something you really want. Truly, madly, deeply. Don’t take a bunch of things you’re sort of jazzed about and try to focus. Take the most important thing at any given time.
Focus on something that, deep down, you believe could be possible. Because in the realm of manifestation, believing really is seeing.
Establish dedicated, recurring time to focus on your project – and show up. This one is a no-brainer IN THEORY. But practically? It’s shocking how hard it can be to actually do. But you gotta. You gotta do it and find a way to keep on doing it.
ELIMINATE. EVERYTHING. ELSE. For me, this has been the biggest game-changer to move from wishing to doing. There’s a difference between setting aside time that’s free of distractions … and removing the distractions entirely.
This limiting of attention isn’t a big crowd pleaser, but neither is never achieving your most important visions. When you’re ready to make something happen – something, as in one thing – take every other sweet and precious possibility off the table. At least for now.
Your inner Hero will thank you. ‘Cuz … Heroes know how to focus on one thing at a time.
For our Vision to be more than a lovely, revolving story, we have to rise up, beat back, risk ruffling feathers and keep on doing it to create a reservoir that’s worthy of it.
After a decade of frustration, negative story-telling and mighty self-sabotage, I finally came to the conclusion that I didn’t have a focus problem.
I had a management problem.
Which is good news. Because it’s easier to get clear about what I really want and narrow everything down to that one thing than to try to slay every dragon in the playing field.
So what’s the one thing right now that needs your undivided attention? Put it at the top of the pile and channel your inner Hero to push everything else back. (And do yourself a favor. Stop telling yourself you can’t focus. You can if you only have one goal at a time to look at.)
I have faith in you.
