“Your focus is your reality.” — Yoda

And who is going to argue with hard scientific facts from Yoda? 

What I’m musing about today, is the concept of goal setting and through goal setting the development of focus and through focus… stuff that lots of us are seeking; personal achievement, measurable progress, a sense of direction, tangible results and satisfaction. 

You begin a day with a massive to-do list and run about multi-tasking…

Have you ever experienced what happens when you have far too many things to focus on? You begin a day with a massive to-do list and run about multi-tasking, working super hard, but never actually completing anything? 

You can’t focus when you have many, many goals on the table at the same time. It’s the old spinning plates metaphor… at some point some of those plate will drop and before that you will run around feeling stressed.

Simplify, prioritise… one of the most useful things my highly effective mother ever said to me, was that your to-do-list should never be longer than a post-it. No… you can’t cheat this by just writing really small! I’m adding to the post-it rule, it should never have more than three things on it. Get those three things done, celebrate, then you can get another post-it and focus on three new things.

You started focusing on a single task and then found yourself distracted and doing something random…

Does this scenario seem familiar? You started clear and focused on a single task or goal and then somehow found yourself distracted and doing something random?! Our electronic devices, the internet and social media being regularly cited sources of distraction, or unplanned cleaning, tidying and organising tasks. When you go down an unfocused distraction wormhole, what then happens to your goal?

Parts of the brain get into a synchronised state during intense focus…

If you aren’t entirely satisfied with the evidence of Yoda’s take on things... there is some scientific research saying pretty much the same thing; that we are more effective when we focus. When studying the impact of meditation on the brain, neuroscientist Richard J Davidson found that parts of the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain responsible for thoughts and actions in relation to internal goals) get into a synchronised state during intense focus. When in this synchronised state, our brain works more effectively.

But focus and developing your attention are things that in themselves need a focus on to see improvements!

Tony Robbins is often quoted as saying;

“Where focus goes, energy flows.”

Sometimes when talking about this theory of focus the topic of money comes up. A question along the lines of; “so if I focus on lots on money, I’ll get more of it?!” Sounds a bit too good to be true?! The issue with this particular example of focusing on money is that the focus isn’t really about money or the benefits of it. The focus is really about lack. The lack of money and how that is making the individual feel. So if the focus is really on lack, then the risk is that it may generate more lack.

In coaching we work on goals and help you get really focused on them. Sometimes we work on the underlying things those goals will give you. So to return to the money example, is it really about money or is there something beneath that which we could work on? For example is it about safety and security or is it about recognition?

Underlying values can be hugely motivating in relation to goals and focus.

When we work on a goal that helps deliver on key values held, this can be really, very motivational. Equally if a goal is just not getting worked on… what is going on there? It might be that the goal isn’t really the right goal for that person and it isn’t aligned with their underlying values. So they are having a difficult time getting motivated to work on it. This sometimes occurs when someone is doing something out of duty or a place of “I should…” rather than with passion. So if this is you; struggling with a goal, perhaps do a little deeper digging with yourself. Ask yourself what your values really are? Find out what is underneath the goal and why it is difficult?

My suggested take always from my musings today are;

• Be purposeful in what you are focusing on.

• A key component of effective goal setting and getting the energy to flow is getting the right goals.

• Really successful goals are aligned to values.