focus

"The first requisite of success is the ability to apply your physical and mental energies to one problem without growing weary." Thomas Edison

“Discipline and concentration are a matter of being interested.”  Tom Kite

Have you ever sat through a boring movie?  (When it’s your better half’s birthday and they chose the movie it doesn’t count.)  When you are not “into” something, when it doesn’t hold you in awe, it’s difficult to concentrate on it.

 Your mind can only hold on thought at a time.

Whenever I broach this subject in my seminars, females in the audience always challenge me.  They are under the impression – along with most other people – that we can all multi-task.   

 “The shortest way to do many things is to do only one at a time.”  Richard Cech

Since school days our teachers, coaches and parent have told us to focus.  But what is focus really? 

 
According to Melissa Raffoni, the recessionary tide appears to have turned and the CEOs she consults to are starting to look ahead with more confidence at 2010. She’s just done an informal survey among 30 of her clients.
 

“Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see through these eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is clouded.” Goethe

Ever noticed how your attention is drawn almost automatically to things you associate with – even subconsciously?  

“Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see through these eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is clouded.” Goethe

Ever noticed how your attention is drawn almost automatically to things you associate with – even subconsciously? When you first thought of buying that new bike, and you did because you liked it and not everyone rode one.

My wife recently bought a new car and one of the reasons she bought it was that she thought it was somewhat exclusive - a convertible that not everyone drives. A few days after she got it she complained to me that she now sees so many of them on the road! Well it’s not because there were suddenly more of that model on the road, she was just more focused on it.

Whatever sport you’re fanatical about will always seem to attract your attention in the media, on TV, and you definitely see more of your peers training than you do others. You get whatever your eyes and your soul focus on. If your focus is unclear and hazy, so are your results.

The pre-race announcements at sporting events never cease to surprise me.  “Attention Ladies and Gentlemen.  Does anyone have a spare bike for an athlete?  He left his at home.”  Yep, this was recently heard at a triathlon!