Shift Your Attention In 3 Steps To Achieve Joyful Success

This time of year, I hear owls in my backyard almost every night. When I walk outside at dusk to look for them, it is often challenging to see them. I scan the trees, searching for the outline of their majestic form. There are many birds out at this time; the sun is going down and my desire to witness the gorgeous spectacle is overwhelming. When I reflect on the few times that I have seen these barnyard owls, it was only because I took the time to slow down and focus on them.

It is not just spotting owls that require focus, 38 % of people who answered my poll on LinkedIn stated that their obstacle to achieving joyful success was lack of focus. Whether that lack of focus arises from an unclear or non-existent plan of action, an over-booked calendar or blurred priorities, there are three things that you can do to shift your attention to achieve joyful success.

1. The first step to embracing focus as part of your daily routine is to align with why putting emphasis on a certain goal or activity is important. Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich, speaks to this as your Big Why. When you are clear on the impact a specific activity will provide to your joyful success, you are more likely to put your time and attention there.
2. The second step is to decide that you are going to focus each and every day on activities that are going to move you closer to your goals and achieving your Big Why. When you use focus as a verb instead of a noun, you will move forward with inspired action.
3. The third step is to draft a plan of action that contains small doable steps that you can accomplish every day. Each week create your to-do list. Write down all of the things that you intend to do to move you towards your intention of success. Each night, look at your list and choose three to five items that will propel you forward and boost your accomplishment. In the morning, review your list and as Brian Tracy says, Eat the Frog first. Complete the most important items on your list before noon each day.

Performing these three activities regularly will provide you with a sense of accomplishment that will feed your desire to stay dedicated and persistent to your quest for joyful success. When you look for success each day, your chances increase tremendously in finding it. Now, where are my binoculars and those owls?

As you practice these three steps, we would love to hear about your experiences. Share your comments with us today.