Shooting the Breeze
I tend to have a smorgasbord approach to life. Personally, I have struggles with the idea of focus. For me it is not intuitive, natural or easy. My days can quickly become littered with unfinished projects and new initiatives.
But throughout my lifetime I have witnessed the power of uncompromising personal focus. Our world has been greatly impacted by men and women who have lived with a passionate pursuit of excellence in a specific area. These individuals discovered the advantage of narrowing their focus.
The truth is, many of us weaken our potential by investing too much time in the areas of our lives where we have the least potential. It seems logical. Even justifiable. After all, shouldn’t we work hard at improving the areas in which we are weakest?
No, we shouldn’t.
Why?
Because we need to be focusing our energy on the areas where we have the greatest potential to make an impact. This is what is most important.
According to Reggie Joiner in his book “Seven Practices of Effective Ministry
This is a process that my church has been going through over the last several years. As a church, we recognize that we can’t meet every need so we have narrowed our focus to families.
This doesn’t mean that we don’t care about anyone else. It just means this is where we are putting our energy here right now because this is where we have the greatest potential for impact.
This is also a process that I have been going through in my personal life with the help of my coach. My passion and focus is to see people grow and develop spiritually and emotionally.
As a result, I want to focus my energy on things that will have the great potential for impact in these areas. This is why I teach, preach, mentor and blog.
Narrowing our focus is an ongoing process of evaluation and making changes. If we are not careful it will be easy to lose focus.
Do fewer things in order to make a greater impact!
How are you narrowing your focus? What are you focusing on?
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Kevin,
This topic is right on point for my wife and me as we enter a new phase in our business. We’ve known that most successful people take on a business coach and so have we. We’ve known that most financially satisfied individuals narrow and hone there skills. We’ve known that the most fulfilled individuals serve in their focused area of passion and expertise.
That’s what we’re up to now as we excitedly reinvent ourselves.
Thanks
RICK
RICK
Rick Lelchuk recently posted..Breaking the Junk Food Addiction – How One Family Did It
Hi Rick:
It is exciting to evaluate what is most important and begin to focus our energy on it. It energizes me when I am focused on my passions.
Thanks for sharing!
Kevin
Kevin Martineau recently posted..Margin requires great effort
I find that people who are creative types who have lots of ideas find focusing on one thing hard. I like to have several projects on the go but equally I like to move them all forward. Great post Kevin
Sadie-Michaela Harris recently posted..By: Sadie
Thanks for sharing Sadie!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..One more thing won’t hurt syndrome
You are so right. It may be sad to think we can’t do it all, but we weren’t gifted or made to carry everything. When you force yourself to focus (or the group you lead) it also lends itself to more immediate action to make a difference instead of waiting (and waiting) until all the ducks are in a row and you have everything you think you need… This is good advice! Thanks Kevin.
Thanks for sharing Jason!
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I certainly can use some simplification in my life. I believe that I have done a much better a job, especially in the last year, to focus on my strengths, and leverage those strengths. It’s much better to specialize than generalize and avoid being a jack of all trades and a master at none. God Bless!
Juan Cruz Jr recently posted..What’s in a name?
Specialization is definitely a good thing Juan!
Thanks for sharing!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..Margin requires great effort
Kevin, it’s not by chance that you’re writing on this topic. I’ve felt this message stirring in my own heart for the past year. I’m like you: many, many projects, but not a lot of focus. However, I also feel that this was needed during a time when I was growing quite a bit. However, there comes a time to narrow down and focus on the essentials. I’m reading Leo Babauta’s Power of Less, and it’s saying the same thing!
Steve-Personal Success Factors recently posted..Here are Success Factors That Have Helped People Prosper During the Recession
Thanks for sharing Steve!
I am going to have to check out Leo’s book.
Kevin Martineau recently posted..Don’t give up (you are loved)
Great post! You have inspired me to write a new post.
Scientifically, we know that diffused light has little power of impact; however we can concentrate its energy by focusing it. If we take a magnifying glass, the rays of the sun can be focused to set grass on fire. That’s the power of focused energy and when we apply this principle to our life we see that busyness and aimless distractions has little power. When we concentrate our energy by focusing it, we create a laser beam of power.
Rachel Lavern recently posted..Top 5 Reasons Affirmations Fail
Great thoughts Rachel!
Thanks or sharing.
Kevin Martineau recently posted..6 helpful ways to handle conflict
This one has has always been a challenge for me too. There are so many wonderful things out there to do, focusing on one wasn’t something I even considered until I started a business.
Now that I have my focus things are much easier and life flows along a lot smoother. It is easier to make decisions because I know exactly what needs to be done.
Plus, once I get things organized and outsourced I have time for some of those other things!
Decisions are definitely easier to make when you have a narrowed focus.
Thanks for sharing Carla!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..Margin requires great effort
Thanks for sharing! Because when we focus on fewer thing, we produces better quality work. We spend more time, focus, and energy on that one task instead of neglecting it while trying to accomplish too much at one time.
Jeff
Jeffrey Sooey recently posted..Sports Psychology and Coaching: How To Be A Winner
It is definitely much easier to focus on one thing than five things. I want to do a few things well instead of a lot of things not so well.
Thanks for sharing Jeffrey!
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Kevin,
That is interesting slant on narrow your focus. As a social media consultant I often have to do things, such as set up blogs, etc. I am really great at the marketing end, and so-so at the tech side. So, lately I have been outsourcing that more and more to people more qualified than myself. I do it, because I am better at building a team of qualified professionals than doing everything myself. We each have to learn our talents.
Andy
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I agree with you Andy. We need to build a team that complements our strengths and weaknesses. That being said we still need to narrow our focus on what we are trying to accomplish. We may have the best time in the world but it will mean nothing if we are not making the greatest impact that we can.
Thanks for sharing Andy!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..Margin requires great effort
“…unfinished projects and new initiatives.” LOL I’m guilty of this behavior! Actually, I’m having my lunch, another idea popped up in my mind and again… I would like to start the idea as soon as possible. Yet I have lots of stuffs that I still need to finish. Indeed, focus is important for us.
Mark recently posted..P90X is very strenuous and you have to be in pretty good shape before you start
Adding more things to our lives is definitely an easy temptation to fall in to.
Thanks for sharing Mark!
Kevin Martineau recently posted..5 ways to restore margin in physical energy
Yup! It’s absolutely an easy temptation to fall into but the most difficult situation to handle.
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Hey Kevin!
I agree 100% my friend! You can get a lot more done with a strong narrow focus then by trying to be everything to everyone! I like how you mentioned the mission of your church. That’s AWESOME Kevin!
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