Let’s be frank, many people are distracted these days. More so than normal. Of course, the economy is the big reason. But there are many things that can cause distraction in one’s life. And as David Mullen reminded us, sometimes life offers damn good reasons to become distracted.
In fact, right now I am distracted in London, England for a very good reason (image: Big Ben, London by 13Bobby).
But eventually distractions cause us to lose focus and fall into wayward patterns at work (let’s not get too excited about marketing in this post, OK?) and in life. So where do you strike that balance? I don’t know today any more than I did 15 years ago when I entered corporate life. I do know that understanding your goals and acceptable levels of performance are real ways to ensure the engine doesn’t get too far off the tracks.
For our content creating clients, we like to recommend an editorial mission to keep performance on track. In Mastermind groups, CEOs are encouraged to list their personal, family, financial and business goals daily (in that order, too), something I still do.
In the end, I guess these tools and other philosophies always remind us to keep the eye on the prize. Whether that’s family or affecting change or simply doing well at work. But somehow there’s still no finite answer. Ultimately, distracted or committed, here or there, whatever really matters to you, it’s presence, real true presence that counts.
What do you think?
Some of the best advice I got when I had my first son was to know what my very specific priorities were. I have been in the Tech business now for close to 17 years. No matter the ups and downs of the life of a salesman, houses, cars, friends, stress, fun, and marriage – I figured out what my priority was long ago and have stuck to it. My dad used to say that the true measure of a man is what his family thinks of him. For me priority number one has always been being a good husband and dad and enjoying the great family God has giving me.