The easiest way to limit distraction is to limit our social media habits. I am not advocating a social media free life. I am saying that anything that robs us of being our best self should be moderated to the point that it could be left behind for a season to see just how much I can
Something odd happens when you don’t have a constant pull toward time-wasting activities like scrolling through an endless social media feed. Things that usually take all day can be done in an hour because I no longer wonder what else I am missing out on. I don’t feel the need to check in on the digital circle
In a world that seems to have so many built in distractions, it is not a surprise that mediocrity is so celebrated. Focus is not even possible for many who have to constantly distract themselves from the pressure of the tasks and expectations they are facing. This allows those who learn the discipline required to focus to
Those who struggle to see the world through the filter of focus are operating at a clear disadvantage. Rookies often demonstrate a lack of focus when they get overwhelmed by the speed of the new level of competition. Things seem to move too fast for them. They are caught reacting rather than implementing their plan and therefore
Great teams have the ability to tune out all of the noise and distractions that threaten to take their eyes off of their objective. Think about what we see in sports. The truly transcendent athletes can see the action in almost slow motion. They have the ability to take in all the information available to them and
Sometimes opportunities to improve were present all along and the team just needed a reason to look under the hood to find the source of the thing that just doesn’t sound right. It’s better to address those small warnings early than to abide the sound that plants a “something is wrong” alarm in the back of your
Not all tests are pass or fail. Some testing is done to see what the cause of dysfunction is. When a team stagnates, it is important to figure out what the root cause of the lack of progress is. Tests can reveal these sources of dysfunction. Opportunities to improve are often revealed during a diagnostics test because
Tests are a form of accountability and evaluation. They come in formal forms like SATs and the famous pop quiz. Teams are also tested by the natural and inevitable adversity of life. Tests are tough because they are often more revealing than we care to admit. When the flames of adversity touch a team, the team is
Great team-builders have the ability to see what isn’t visible in the present. Potential is the basis of all hope for building any team at the outset. Seeing the diamond when everyone else sees a lump of coal is what sets the great team-builders apart from those who only recruit for the need of the moment. Seeing
Diligence is a rare attribute. It requires not just patience but a consistent commitment to finish regardless of how long the endeavor takes. I often underestimate how long real change and significant growth takes. This causes things to take longer than I anticipated and when that happens, I have to make a choice to finish what I