What do I focus on? What do I do?

Hello and good morning Full Potential Beings. Today is a new day to live out the best version of ourselves and I hope to add to your ability to do that today in this post.

I have found two of the top questions I am continually asking myself is: “What do I focus on and what do I do?”

This has lead to all sorts of answers. I have mind maps. I have task managers. I have organized my calendar. I have focus sheets. I have created chipits for tracking habits. I meditate. I read. I play music. All my life I have been attempting to answer this question.

My screen saver for a long time said “What’s the highest value thing I can focus on right now?”

Part of the challenge is that there’s just so many things to focus on. Another part of the challenge is that society and companies seeking to monetize your attention are all too willing to tell you exactly what to focus on. Lastly – the real answer is so subjective. Only YOU know what you should focus on. You have to be willing and able to seek and find your own truth.

And that truth .. because it is so subjective, is best found by going within. By actually closing off your focus from the outside world and finding the answer inside your own consciousness.

One way I do that is by constantly having some kind of eye mask or blind fold around. Along with a pair of ear plugs or head phones. This way I can at will, shut out the stream of stimulus from the outside world.

Next I have to carefully observe my own mind. As it will continue to replay impressions and thoughts and stories from the outside world I just sought to unplug from.

In order to catch my mind running on its own I need to give myself a command to focus on something specific. This way when the mind starts running again, I’ll notice it’s running on its own accord and then bring my attention back to what I am directing it to focus on.

So for example I focus on my breath. And I attempt to get to 10 breaths without thinking of anything else. When my mind drifts off (and I finally catch it) I bring it back to my intended focus. Each time I do this, although I might get a little frustrated that my mind drifts so many times.. I am also STRENGTHENING my ability to focus.

I am demonstrating to my mind that I choose where I focus. And although we might play tug of a war a bit with my attention.. if I stay persistent eventually I gain control and I assert my will to focus over my mind’s tendency to stray and focus on all kinds of random thoughts.

Now one way I can also help ease my mind is by having a note pad or piece of paper handy so that I can write down whatever comes up while I’m trying to focus on my breath. This is an incredibly easy way to become conscious of all my mind’s concerns and turn my attention to them later when I’m ready to deal with them.

In summary:

1 – What you focus on is completely up to you. Listen to your own truth and discover what you truly want to focus on.
2 – Take control of your focus by directing it to your breath and try to get to 10 breaths without thinking of anything else
3 – When your mind does wander .. note what it wanted to think about in a notebook and get back to exercising your focus
4 – You can take care of the things you need to deal with later when you’re ready. Getting a handle on reality helps put the mind at ease for a time.

And when you’re ready to get back to the ‘outside world’..

I find some of the best things I can do in the reality outside my mind is tidy things up, simplify, try to minimize the things I need to focus on. That means organization and de-cluttering. And then placing intentionally the things I want to focus on, on white boards or card stock. I have also optimized my screens to the maximum extent possible with apps and widgets being organized in ways that make the most sense. And have organized my ‘life’ mind map and review it every day.

In previous posts I have shared how some of these things are organized.. and perhaps if you’re curious I’ll do a webinar / zoom call on how to optimize all these other aspects of your life to focus exactly where you want to.

For now get to strengthening that focus through your breath and simplifying your environment so it’s easier to see where you want to focus. And I’ll see you on the next post. 🙂

Have a lovely day!