Fundamentals: Control, Influence, Release

What am I going to focus on? Where and how am I going to spend my time? These are fundamental questions, the answers to which bear enormous influence on our (internal and external) lives. Are you choosing what you focus on and how you spend your time? Or are you focusing on whatever grabs your attention and resenting to it? Chances are it’s a little of both. What we know, however, is that people who are more likely to achieve their desired outcomes are more likely to control what they focus on and choose a response rather than reacting in a knee-jerk way to whatever flies in front of their face, so to speak.

Admittedly, what we should focus on is not always what we would like to focus on. However, so long as we’re AWARE of what we are focusing on, we have the choice to focus on what is in our best interest instead of what is distracting. In order to maintain focus in the healthiest possible way we need to categorize life’s inputs and make decisions about where we place them in our field of view. Here’s one recommendation on how to do that.

Sort what you notice yourself focusing on (or what is distracting you) into one of three categories: things to control, things to influence, and things to release. Once they are sorted you can choose what, and which category, you want to focus on. Notice, too, that focus can mean primary focus, peripheral focus or choosing to ignor or avoid. Focusing on what you can control and what you can influence leads towards your goals. Focusing on what you should ‘release’, what comes in and out of your periphery, or what you should be ignoring/avoiding, distracts and dilutes progress.