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Stay focused on what’s Important

A LONG-RANGE FOCUS CREATES A STRAIGHT FURROW.

Most of the people including me have the trouble of staying focused on the
important issues, because too many other things are happening around them which
demand little or more attention.

What is the really important part of your work? In general, it’s those activities that
help you reach your goals. The difficulty is that important tasks rarely demand your
attention. Let us take out some time to see minutely what is urgent & what is
important before we actually go ahead.

Urgent indicate that it requires immediate attention. It’s “Now!” Urgent things act
on us. A ringing phone is urgent. Most people can’t stand the thought of just
allowing the phone ring. You could spend hours preparing materials, you could get
all dressed up and travel to a person’s office to discuss a particular issue, but if the
phone were to ring while you were there, it would generally take precedence over
your personal visit.

Urgent matters are usually visible. They press on us; they insist on action. They’re
often popular with others. They’re usually right in front of us. And often they are
pleasant, easy, and fun to do. But so often they are unimportant!

Importance, on the other hand, has to do with results. If something is important, it
contributes to your mission, your values, and your high priority goals.

We react to urgent matters. Important matters that are not urgent require more
initiative, more productivity. We must act to seize opportunity, to make things
happen.

I learned a valuable lesson about focus when I saw a farmer working on his field. He
stated that to plow a straight furrow, you aim at a stationary object on the fare side
of the field. Keep your eyes on the object, and you can easily drive straight to it.
However, if you watch your tractor wheels and the ground immediately ahead,
you’ll plow a crooked furrow. With a short-range focus you won’t realize that
you’re zigzagging. A long-range focus creates a straight furrow.

Most of the tasks are the same: Concentrate on daily trivia and you’ll wander off
course. Even worse, you won’t realize you’re wandering away from the goal. To stay
on target, you’ve got to keep your eyes on your long-range goals.

How do you stay focused in the midst of all the daily trivia? Here are some practical
ideas.
•   Write out your long-range goals. Make sure you write clear, specific
       statements about what you want to achieve.

   •   Read your long-range goals every day. The more you read them, the more
       they will help you maintain focus.

   •   Ask yourself this question on a continual basis. “How is what I’m doing right
       now helping me reach my goals?” Eliminate those activities that don’t help.

   •   Discuss priorities with superiors, subordinates, or team members regularly
       to get a direction.

I always give an example to my students on focus. It goes like this.

If you want to go to Poona, take the road which goes to Poona. That is your ultimate
destination. There will obstacles, problems, difficulties which will come on your
way. May be you get into traffic, may be there is a diversion / deviation; you have to
take a detour. You may experience a mechanical failure, your petrol tank shows ‘E’.
In spite of all these impediments which pose a threat to you on your travel, we have
already visually the end in mind. When you have prepared sub consciously to reach
Poona in mind, you will definitely reach the destination of Poona. THAT IS WHAT
I MEAN BY FOCUS.

Now, the choice is yours. Focusing on short-range goals / issues, and you’ll wind up
frustrated, agitated. Focus on long-range goals, and you’ll stay on track and achieve
much more.

The article has been written by Iyer Subramanian, attached to Bombay Chamber of
Commerce.

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Stay Focused On What

  • 1. Stay focused on what’s Important A LONG-RANGE FOCUS CREATES A STRAIGHT FURROW. Most of the people including me have the trouble of staying focused on the important issues, because too many other things are happening around them which demand little or more attention. What is the really important part of your work? In general, it’s those activities that help you reach your goals. The difficulty is that important tasks rarely demand your attention. Let us take out some time to see minutely what is urgent & what is important before we actually go ahead. Urgent indicate that it requires immediate attention. It’s “Now!” Urgent things act on us. A ringing phone is urgent. Most people can’t stand the thought of just allowing the phone ring. You could spend hours preparing materials, you could get all dressed up and travel to a person’s office to discuss a particular issue, but if the phone were to ring while you were there, it would generally take precedence over your personal visit. Urgent matters are usually visible. They press on us; they insist on action. They’re often popular with others. They’re usually right in front of us. And often they are pleasant, easy, and fun to do. But so often they are unimportant! Importance, on the other hand, has to do with results. If something is important, it contributes to your mission, your values, and your high priority goals. We react to urgent matters. Important matters that are not urgent require more initiative, more productivity. We must act to seize opportunity, to make things happen. I learned a valuable lesson about focus when I saw a farmer working on his field. He stated that to plow a straight furrow, you aim at a stationary object on the fare side of the field. Keep your eyes on the object, and you can easily drive straight to it. However, if you watch your tractor wheels and the ground immediately ahead, you’ll plow a crooked furrow. With a short-range focus you won’t realize that you’re zigzagging. A long-range focus creates a straight furrow. Most of the tasks are the same: Concentrate on daily trivia and you’ll wander off course. Even worse, you won’t realize you’re wandering away from the goal. To stay on target, you’ve got to keep your eyes on your long-range goals. How do you stay focused in the midst of all the daily trivia? Here are some practical ideas.
  • 2. • Write out your long-range goals. Make sure you write clear, specific statements about what you want to achieve. • Read your long-range goals every day. The more you read them, the more they will help you maintain focus. • Ask yourself this question on a continual basis. “How is what I’m doing right now helping me reach my goals?” Eliminate those activities that don’t help. • Discuss priorities with superiors, subordinates, or team members regularly to get a direction. I always give an example to my students on focus. It goes like this. If you want to go to Poona, take the road which goes to Poona. That is your ultimate destination. There will obstacles, problems, difficulties which will come on your way. May be you get into traffic, may be there is a diversion / deviation; you have to take a detour. You may experience a mechanical failure, your petrol tank shows ‘E’. In spite of all these impediments which pose a threat to you on your travel, we have already visually the end in mind. When you have prepared sub consciously to reach Poona in mind, you will definitely reach the destination of Poona. THAT IS WHAT I MEAN BY FOCUS. Now, the choice is yours. Focusing on short-range goals / issues, and you’ll wind up frustrated, agitated. Focus on long-range goals, and you’ll stay on track and achieve much more. The article has been written by Iyer Subramanian, attached to Bombay Chamber of Commerce.