Tag: Focus

Focus

How many times do people refer to loosing their focus? When athletes fall short of success, it is generally because they lost focus.

Leaders cannot afford to lose focus.

Distractions take the form of financial problems, family issues, health challenges, tragedy, email, texts, calls, and numerous other areas.

While we cannot ignore certain issues when they arise, we can learn from them and maintain our focus, or we can lose sight of our priorities.

Focus is a matter of choice.

People need leadership to help them maintain their focus.

Step Up and Lead

“Go to the people. Learn from them. Live with them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have. The best of leaders when the job is done, when the task is accomplished, the people will say we have done it ourselves” (Lao Tzu).

Leadership of this nature will…

Build confidence in others.
Strengthen the focus of the group.
Accomplish more and greater overall good.
Leave an eternal legacy.

Heaven will be home for many more people because of this kind of leadership.

Leadership is needed. Will we step up and do our part?

Focus on the Future

We often view the past with great fondness.

We may look to the past with regret over words or actions we cannot change.

We also learn from the past with hope of greater opportunities for the future.

Our leadership must focus on the future. We do not lead people where they have been, but where they need to go.

Paul knew the regret of words and actions from his past, but he chose to focus on what lies ahead.

We, too, must remember the work of spiritual leadership. When it comes to the past, acknowledge it, learn from it, and leave it where it is.

Focus on the future.

Balanced or Imbalanced

Our lives fall into three major categories: home, world, and church. Amazingly, when we are out of balance in one, the other two are affected.

Leaders have a tremendous responsibility to cautiously approach the work consumption syndrome and not lose sight of the focus needed in the church and home. When we are imbalanced, everything suffers, even our work.

Ultimately, when the spiritual element of our life is not prioritized, nothing else works.

Our task begins with establishing the right priorities and leading from that position.

Other Side of the Fence

The grass may seem greener on the other side of the fence, but be careful. Consider a few ideas.

1) If something appears to good to be true, it generally is.

2) Most often, the other side is not always what it first appears.

3) An inappropriate desire for the other side leads to sin.

4) Focusing on the other side distracts us from the present work.

5) Remember, someone may be looking with desire at your side of the fence.

Leadership has a responsibility to stay focused on the goal ahead. However, we must prevent followers from being distracted by the other side of the fence.

Purpose

Where do we focus our attention? What purpose drives us as leaders? We can easily get distracted and lose focus and forget our purpose.

There are times we spend too much energy putting out “brush fires” and we lose sight of the goal. We must remember, and followers need to be reminded of, our purpose.

Be driven by it.
Determine to succeed.
Establish unity in the work.
Promote it at every opportunity.
Never quit.

Impossibilities disappear when we are driven by purpose, especially when that purpose has a godly foundation.

The Past

We are all shaped by the events of our past. It may be teaching, experience, or influence. They are either positive or negative as we consider how the past shapes us.

Paul was an apostle molded by his family heritage, academic credentials, knowledge of Old Testament scripture, and zealous attack against the church.

However, he did not allow the past to dictate the direction of his future. Paul’s focus quickly became spiritually and heavenly directed.

We cannot relive or change the past. As leaders, we must learn from the past in order to prevent repeating areas that hinder our influence and focus.

Focus

Leaders focus on growth and advancement. They look to grow personally, strive to help others reach their greatest potential, and help advance the cause for which they lead.

Leaders look for new and refined ideas that promote opportunity, innovation, and creativity. The abilities that exist among followers is amazing, and leaders need to seek ways to involve everyone in using their gifts for God’s kingdom.

Leaders recognize the ever changing world surrounding them. The development of God’s kingdom is not about changing the message, but the methods need to allow for ideas that reach out to this ever changing world.

Great Leaders

There is no doubt that great leaders need to understand their strengths and weaknesses. They know the areas where they lack ability and how to find the individuals with the strengths to complement those areas.

Great leaders then focus on their strengths. Numerous sources claim that leaders should focus 80% of their time in areas of their strengths and only 20% in areas of weakness.

Focusing on the areas of passion and strength makes a good leader great, and makes a great leader outstanding.

The challenge for us is taking time to examine and evaluate and then make sure we work to reach our greatest potential.

Practice Makes Perfect

Regardless of the application, the idea is to do something over and over again, until perfect.

Olympic athletes are trained from a young age. Drills, routines, and exercises are perfected through hours of practice every day. Their life is dedicated to one purpose: perform perfectly without yielding to pressure.

Doing, action, application, and preparation are all terms associated with practice. This is no longer about theory, but method. Details are worked out for implementation.

Developing the ability to lead is a work in progress.

We need to be focused, dedicated, diligent, and steadfast to the one purpose we are called to do, and lead others in that cause.