| Focus is the single most important factor that will | | | | poles pointing in one direction (to make the north |
| determine whether your dreams come true or | | | | pole) and all south poles pointing in the opposite |
| not. Depending on what your dreams are, there | | | | direction (to make the south pole). This is what |
| are so many rivers to cross. Some hurdles look | | | | accumulates to constitute the magnetic force. In |
| quite formidable, and a lot of folks give up at the | | | | the nail, the alignment is haphazard. They point in |
| first sign of a setback.Focus helps you put your | | | | all directions. The net effect is that the |
| act together. It helps you mobilize your resources | | | | electromagnetic forces cancel themselves and the |
| and channel them in one direction. That way, you | | | | resultant magnetic force is nil.If you bring a nail |
| make progress consistently in the direction of | | | | within the magnetic field of a magnet, it sucks it |
| your goal or milestones.Imagine the lamps in the | | | | in. While still attached to the magnet, the nail |
| front of your car. Most models use the same size | | | | becomes a magnet too, and can magnet other |
| and bulb and wattage. What makes a full beam is | | | | metals. What happens is the magnetic force of |
| focus. Driving on a dark road at midnight, you can | | | | the magnet forces the molecules in the nail to put |
| see up to a kilometer ahead. If the beam is | | | | its act together and line up in one direction. If you |
| focussed further, it can generate heat. Focussed | | | | remove the nail, its molecular array returns to its |
| further still, it cut through some materials. That is | | | | former state, and it becomes a non-magnet one |
| the power of focus.To fulfil your dreams, you | | | | more time.The magnet is a focused guy. He pulls |
| have to break it down into actionable segments, | | | | its resources together and achieves. The nail is a |
| goals. Fulfilling the dream involves achieving the | | | | confused guy, he deploys its resources in all |
| goals that make up the dream. Focus enables you | | | | directions, jumps from project to project and |
| meet your goals.Without focus, you become | | | | cancels out whatever progress he would have |
| distracted. You lose direction. Your priorities get | | | | made.As a shrewd manager of or time, energy |
| messed up. You start to look in different | | | | and resources we need to plan and focus. You |
| directions. This may involve beginning other | | | | may have a thousand ideas. Create an idea bank |
| projects, when the one at hand has not been | | | | in your computer and store them for safekeeping. |
| pursued to a logical conclusion. The cycle | | | | Each idea has its time. Nothing can stop an idea |
| continues, and the net effect is that you litter the | | | | whose time has come. If you run before time, |
| landscape with abandoned projects. If you | | | | you wear yourself out, and add your idea to your |
| consider the time, energy and resources | | | | database of abandoned projects. Instead of the |
| committed into these abandoned projects, put | | | | idea motivating you, it now becomes a source of |
| together and focussed on one project, results | | | | discouragement.Each well-run army knows its |
| would have been achieved.This brings to mind a | | | | strategic strengths, and how many theatres of |
| simple experiment we did in junior high. To draw a | | | | war it can prosecute simultaneously. If it over |
| simple straight line from point A to point B, | | | | stretches itself, it sets itself up for defeat.It may |
| without using a straight edge. To do that | | | | be time step back review your current ongoing |
| successfully, we were instructed to mark out the | | | | projects. Take a second look at your short term |
| two points at two opposite ends of a plain sheet | | | | and long term goals. Do you still believe in your |
| of paper. Then placing our pencil on point A, we | | | | dream? If so, look at projects that are on the |
| were to keep our eyes on point B, as we draw | | | | critical path to the fulfillment of your dream. |
| the line. The net effect was a simple (maybe not | | | | Suspend projects that distract you from getting |
| perfect) straight line from point A to B. We were | | | | to where you are headed. If all your ongoing |
| told to repeat the experiment, this time, place our | | | | projects are relevant, assign priorities to them, |
| pencil at point a, and keep our eyes on the pencil | | | | continue with the most critical, and keep the |
| as it makes its way to point B. You can guess | | | | others in view. Pursue one project to its logical |
| the result; a wavy line from point A to nowhere. | | | | conclusion. It may not necessarily mean staying |
| By the time the pencil got to the opposite edge | | | | permanently on one project. You can push it to a |
| of the paper, we had to look for point B is. We | | | | stage that it becomes self-sustaining or |
| had all gone way off mark.It was a simple and | | | | delegate-able to others, then delegate and move |
| powerful lesson in focus, though sadly, few of us | | | | on. It will continue to thrive, as you break new |
| took it to heart; keep your eyes where you are | | | | grounds. Also you can take on other projects, if |
| going, and you will get there. Keep your eyes | | | | and only if they do not distract you, or slow |
| where you are, and you will get lost.Have you | | | | down your primary thrust.It does not make sense |
| ever wondered what is the difference between a | | | | to complain that you don't have enough time to |
| magnet and a nail? They are both made of | | | | do the things you need to do, simply because you |
| carbon steel. It is in its molecular structure. Each | | | | got your life cluttered with so many things that |
| has a north and south polarity. In the magnet, all | | | | are nice, but not absolutely necessary.It is great |
| the molecules are in perfect alignment, all north | | | | to start. |