To get to where you want to be, you must hold clear in your mind what you most want. Your subconscious mind is a powerful, goal-achieving machine, but it can't lead you to your desired goal, if you don't provide it with a specific target. If it doesn't have a clear and specific target, it can't get you there. As Stephen Covey would say, you must begin with the end in mind.
The Power of Focus is the practice of focusing on the 'right' tasks at hand, while minimizing distractions that take your focus away from your goals. It will improve time management, professional and personal performance, task efficiency, overall life balance, and provide your mind the information it needs to get you to the bull's eye.
When you focus on the 'right' activities that lead to 'big' goal achievement, you will succeed. A client of mine set a goal she was afraid to set because she had never been successful at achieving it before. We brainstormed a list of what we thought were the 'right' activities she needed to do in order to achieve this particular goal. She got focused on these activities, did them, and exceeded her goal! The same thing can happen for you when you focus on the 'right' activities.
Step 1. Create a Long-Term Goal List ...
What are your Long-Term Goals within the next 3-5 years? Within 10 years? They can be anything you want - but they must be what you really want. Your Long-Term Goals should go far beyond your comfort zone and how you would ideally like to see your life. Again, asking to retire rich isn't specific enough - you must include as many details as possible along with the date you would like to achieve each goal.
Step 2. Create a Short-Term Goal List ...
What are your Short-Term Goals? Within one week? Within 3 months? Whatever they are, include specific dates down to the month, day and year. Prioritize your short-term goals and put the goal that is most important to you at the top of the list. When you finish the most important things, move them off your list and do the next one, then the next one.
It isn't the one that is the easiest to do and the one with the least amount of discomfort. It is the one that is the most important to do first that will have the biggest impact on your overall success. Maybe there is a goal you would like to achieve, but you're not totally convinced you can do it. How do you know if you don't try? The mind is a goal-achieving machine and can help you do more than you think.
Hang your Short- and Long-Term Goals up where you will see them frequently, even many times throughout the day. Remain mindful of your goals as you go about your day and read them aloud every morning and every evening before going to sleep. Your goal lists serve two purposes. First, it uses The Power of Focus to help you concentrate on what you DO want so you can work on making it a reality. Secondly, they serve as positive reinforcements. When you can cross off a goal because you achieved it - you feel good! Then you have room to add new goals.
Step 3. Create a Daily Task List ...
At the end of each day, create your Task List for the following day. Prioritize your tasks in order of importance, with the most important being at the top of the list. The following day, start with the number one item and work your way down the list. At the end of the day, you will have completed your tasks with improved organization and efficiency.
This is the part where most people run into trouble - they hate making a task list! And that's OK, you don't have to like it - but it is necessary for your success. Why? Because successful people practice The Power of Focus every day and a Daily Task List is part of that regiment. You must be an active participant in your life and take responsibility for those things that you must do. And it's easier to do that when your tasks are staring at you in the face! You can't conveniently forget about them...You suddenly become accountable for your actions, and knowing that this is all part of the process of becoming successful.
Step 4. Calendar Everything and Honor Thy Calendar ...
Once you have your tasks listed, put all your activities on your calendar. Determine how much time it takes to do each activity and place them on your calendar. A good rule of thumb is to add a bit more time to what you think as it may actually take you longer. If you are like me, I always think I can accomplish more than I actually can in the time allotted. To prevent you from falling behind or feeling frustrated if you do take longer than you think, just give yourself a bit more time up front. If you complete the activity ahead of schedule, you can easily move on to the next task.
The Power of Focus is more than just goal-setting exercises. It is a process in which you develop a crystal-clear vision of where you want to be, so your goal-achieving machine can make it a reality. Remember, your subconscious mind is a goal-achieving machine. It is exactly that - a machine. It reacts to the information fed to it - no emotion, no judgment. This works to your advantage or disadvantage. The subconscious mind doesn't know how to judge the information it receives, it only reacts to it.
Whatever you feed your mind will become your reality. This is why practicing The Power of Focus every day is so important. Focus on your goals, and your subconscious mind will actually support you in taking the right actions to get you to your goals.
When you are living with your goals in mind, your subconscious mind is working to make it a reality. Practice The Power of Focus in your daily life and give your mind the chance to do what it does best - be a goal-achieving machine. Use the Power of Focus to achieve all your goals and live your dreams!
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