Focus pt. 1

 Focus

I struggled for years to discover what I am truly passionate about. Not what peers or the media tells me I am passionate about, but what really matters to me. After much time I was able to finally pinpoint the things that matter most to me. 

What did I do? I thought of the activities that bring me the most joy. I wrote them down. Then I pondered why those things bring me joy and established that reason as a passion.

For example, I figured out that I really enjoy biking. I then thought about why I like biking. I like biking because it allows me to create a better relationship with my brother. I like biking because it allows me to be outside, which I love. I like biking because it keeps me physically fit. I like biking because it brings me back to when I was a kid. That is why I like biking.

I established why I like it. I pinpointed why it makes me happy. If something makes you happy, pursue it. And I’m not talking short term lust, I am talking long term, real joy.

Next, I wrote actions to get me to my goal, and actions that will keep me from achieving my goal. 

Obviously to go mountain biking, I need my own mountain bike. One action that will help me achieve this goal is saving money. But I don’t just write down saving money, I write down to save $200 a month for the next 12 months. And if I want to get to my goal sooner, I must either a.) work harder or b.) make more sacrifices. That leads to what I need to avoid.

To save more money to achieve my goal faster, I must stop spending money on unneeded vices like alcohol. Alcohol is one vice that keeps me from achieving almost any goal. If you want to have less of something in your life but not completely eliminate it, make a concrete amount you will spend on that thing.

The cool part about creating a budget for your vices is that typically you realize how dumb it is to spend money on it and completely eliminate it.

So to recap, I established my passions, I figured out why, I wrote down actions to achieve that goal and actions that keep me from it. It’s that simple. Once I have it all written down, I review it every morning. 

This is how you maintain focus on what you want. Remember, your goals may change. Your passions may change. If they change, go with it. Don’t place a box around what you want. Let your mind roam freely, but all in all, remember your focus.

I will continue to talk more about this topic soon. Thank you for reading.