It’s soooo easy to lose focus these days. With all our technological tools, productivity apps, and lifestyles of convenience, we’d be a bunch of smooth, focused goal-achieving machines, right?  Masters of our universes. Yet the reality is that it’s far too easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. Social status updates, emails, texts, twitter,  checking the stock exchange or game scores, and 24/7 availability make it ever-so-easy  to lose focus on what matters most: our friends & family, our health, career goals, and co-creating our universe.  Life happens. But if we’re not careful, we find ourselves caught in a costly conundrum and we miss our mojo.

Sometimes it’s something big—like a relationship ending, the loss of a job, the death of a friend, or an investment gone bad that initiates the detour.  For many of us, it’s nothing big—just the small, incremental creep of exponential external stimuli. We know when this happens. We feel it. We feel run down. Negative thoughts creep in. We find ourselves in reactive mode, out of control, and depressed. Along with this, our immunity drops. Darn it, our mojo is missing! Our actions are not aligned with our goals.

To get it back, try following these three steps:

  1. Start with the end in mind. Remind yourself of your goals, and then start small. Do you have action steps and know the next steps to take? If not, this could be what’s throwing you off. (Actions should be Specific/Measurable/Attainable/Realistic/Timeframe = SMART.) Post your goals and next 3 action steps where you see them. Consider them first thing each morning and again before bed. Allow a few minutes of quiet time each day.  Vison boards might be helpful—or post it notes.  Do your friends and family know your goals? Share them and enlist their support.
  2. Identify the distractions and know what breaks you down. While I ‘m not a fan of dwelling in the past, noting distractions is important in order to set necessary boundaries—especially with technology. Limit the # of times you check your email or phone. (For example, limit email to 3 times a day for X minutes and initiate “phone free periods”. There are apps to help you manage!) Resist the technology urge and remember a distracted reactive state of mind leads to rushing, carelessness, and loss of focus. Figure out what distractions to give up and set limits on those that are essential.
  3. Consider excuses, and then be nice to yourself. Some of our biggest obstacles lie in our heads. Attitude IS everything and the mind can be a powerful friend– or foe. The good news is: that’s in your control, however it may take practice. Like Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.” Find a mantra to help and replace negative thoughts. J Focus on the things you do right and forgive yourself for the things done wrong. Then get back on track and recommit.

Remember, the great thing about this wonderful life is that every day brings an opportunity to begin again. And, when you say yes to one thing, you say no to something else. Choose your yeses and you’ll find your focus.  It will feel good. Then, hellooooo mojo!

Until next time, choose your fit. Live strong. Laugh often.

(blog written for Compete Every Day )

What have you got to lose?