Work and Discipline and Focus, Oh My!

Taking ownership of who you are and what you want to become is not an easy task. It takes hard work. A lot of hard work. And it requires discipline. Over and over again you have to pull yourself away from those things that will matter least in your life and push yourself towards that which will help you achieve greatness. You must decide what you want to accomplish, figure out how you will accomplish it and then with unyielding focus get after it.

You will make mistakes. You will get tired. You will sometimes be distracted and lose your way. It requires determination to try again after you fail and endurance to fight the good fight. Push yourself today to try again. Make sure that you are going for the goals that you truly want to achieve and are not just following the paths or goals of least resistance.

A Thanksgiving Intermission

According to a USA Today poll, 74%of Americans take Thursday and Friday off for Thanksgiving. How will you spend these two days? Sure, you will spend some time with family and relax from the pressures of work, but will you really get the most benefit from this intermission. To maximize the minimum time you have these days, consider these suggestions:

• Finish up a work task that could occupy your mind over the break. If you can't finish the task, at least take a few minutes to create a plan to accomplish the project when you return to work. It will help your mind relax and "let go" of the task for a couple of days.


• Plan specific activities with family members or friends. Even if it's a phone call, be proactive about scheduling it so that it doesn't get lost and you return to work thinking "I wish I had..."


• Reflect on the people who have made this year more meaningful. What could you do for them over the holidays to show your gratitude?


• Schedule time for yourself. Engage in that hobby you have put off. Read until you fall asleep, wake up and repeat a couple of times. Unplug from technology.

Soon, your circus will once again be moving quickly with work and planning for the holidays. Make the most of your Thanksgiving intermssion-you need it.

Don't Put It Off Until Next Year

Christmas decorations are already in the stores. The northern hemisphere is growing colder and leaves are changing. There is a tendency to start thinking about hibernation and planning for what you want to accomplish in the upcoming year-even when it is just October.

But, why wait until January to start your goals or resolutions? Start now. Don't wait until you are older, richer, better looking or can't get up off of the couch due to those extra pounds. Thomas Dreier said, "The best preparation for a better life next year is a full, complete, harmonious, joyous life this year." Begin where you stand, with the resources that you have and get to it. Otherwise, you will wake up and find that another year has past and you haven't accomplished what is most important to you.

Go to the Bottom of Things

We talk a lot about distractions such as email, phone calls, people interrupting you, having a cluttered workspace, etc. But, have you ever considered that having too many things to do can be a big distraction as well? If you are worried about all the things you have to do you may find it difficult to be focused, thorough and able to do individual tasks to the best of your ability.

Consider the words of Lord Chesterfield, "Whatever you do, do it to the purpose; do it thoroughly, not superficially. Go to the bottom of things. Any thing half done, or half known, is in my mind, neither done nor known at all. Nay, worse, for it often misleads."

If you find that you're doing things "superficially", consider these recommendations:

• Take the time each day to write down the things that you need to get done. Get them out of your head and down on paper
• From your list of things to do, determine what you have time to accomplish today. This is your list to focus on
• Now that you have a smaller list (hopefully it is smaller), slow down, focus and do it right the first time

There are so many great opportunities that you can and should fully engage in. Don't allow your sometime overwhelming list of things to do "mislead", distract or slow you down.

That One Act Could Make The Difference

Recently, on an episode of Antiques Roadshow, a man brought a set of five strange looking cups for appraisal. They turned out to be worth over one million dollars!

While most of us don't have such treasures stored in our closets, we do have a thought, plan or idea that could make a major difference in the success of our work, relationships or our personal well being. When we are so busy juggling elephants, however, we don't take the time to make such things a part of our lineup. We bury them under crises, mundane tasks and the mantra of "I'm just trying to keep up." Who knows what might change if we did take the time to grow one of these ideas to reality?

Today make it a priority to bring one of those buried but valuable acts into your lineup. The results might be more than you ever imagined.