What Works: Become willing to focus

Tomorrow, I am going to paint the word FOCUS on the wall at the Creative Center on Telegraph Street, owned by Jeffrey Pace of Artsy Fartsy Art Gallery. Four months ago, I wrote an article about focus and how it works to achieve your goals in life. If you missed it, you can read it here. Do you notice something missing from the article?

How about #1? If #2 reducing distractions, #3 is knowing your path to success, and #4 is self-management, what would the first step be? It’s willingness.

If you aren’t willing to take some action, you won’t. You will stay stuck in the same old way. You will come up with reasons why you can’t narrow down your scope, change your process, or stop multi-tasking. Without willingness, the rocket ship which focus propels won’t even get off the ground. In essence, you (the rocket) are stuck.
So, how do you become willing?

1) You want it enough. Finding your why is not some fluffy exercise to tug on your heart strings. You have to be done, absolutely fed up, with the status quo. You have hurt enough. You have hidden long enough. You have to want your vision. I always suggest clients frame their end state as this or something better as they strive.

2) You can visualize the benefit. Take a minute before your start and visualize how good it will feel to be at that “this or something better” end state. As you imagine yourself looking at your desired result, how do you feel? Don’t get stuck in this imagination phase, though. Keep moving.


3) You find someone to be accountable to. This can be anyone: an interested friend, a spouse, a coach, or a mastermind group. Find someone you would rather not disappoint and tell them what you want to focus on. Choose someone who can cheer you on and challenge you. Check in with this person regularly.

4) You take the first action. Any journey starts with a single step. Take the first action and let it lead you to the next… and the next. This leads into #2 of the article I wrote in March. So, if you didn’t read that, here’s the link again. After you read the article, decide what you want, visualize the benefit, and tell someone about what you are focusing on. Then do it.

I’m going to apply this to something simple. This morning, I became fed up with my living space. As I was putting on my makeup, I was tired of tripping over stuff on my bathroom floor. I realized I spent more time looking for my keys than it would take me to get to my office.

Sometimes my keys end up on my bathroom sink because the bathroom is usually the first place I go when I come home. I spent 30 minutes purely focusing on picking up my bathroom. I scooped up the laundry and started a load. I took out the bathroom trash. I organized my vanity. I found my keys. I also found a breath of fresh air. After 30 minutes, my bathroom wasn’t sparkling. It wasn’t perfect. But it was back to livable. 

This leads me to a #5… forget perfection. A friend of mine says perfection is the enemy of good. I’d like to add to that by saying good is better than nothing.

Nothing is what you get when perfection is the only goal. If I fear not being perfect, I won’t start. Because I didn’t fear perfection with my bathroom, I get to tell my coach today I made some progress on my living space. That’s another benefit to accountability.

Your challenge this week is to start – start something you have not been giving focus to. If you want support, you can post below in the comments. Or, if you want accountability, you can share this article to your Facebook page and ask for support from your friends. Whatever you do, start. I hope to hear some wonderful beginnings this week.

LEARN AND GROW






Ongoing: Motivation Monday with Diane Dye Hansen at Adams Hub for Innovation from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Up to two free 30-minute face to face sessions. Email grow@adamshub.com to schedule an appointment).

August 9, 2017: Entrepreneurs Assembly at Adam’s Hub for Innovation, inside The Studio. 5:30 pm, free mastermind group.



September 18-20, 2017: Workshop: “Success After Abuse: Empowering Women to Assert Themselves After Leaving an Abusive Relationship” - Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence Conference, Atlantis Casino and Resort, Reno.

Schedule a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation with Diane any time at whatworkscoaching.com.

What Works Coaching

Diane Dye Hansen is the Chief Inspiration Officer of What Works Coaching, an individual and organizational coaching and consulting firm based in Carson City. She has 20 years of experience working with top corporations, growing businesses, motivated entrepreneurs, and individuals hungry for a fresh start. Diane holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Marketing from Cal State San Bernardino. She is also a candidate for a Master’s degree in Communications Management from the University of Southern California. Her column appears every Monday, and sometimes Tuesday, in Carson Now.