My word for 2023 is focus.
This word first came to mind during an end-of-year board meeting I was attending. The board members and key staff were all asked to share our hope for the organization heading into 2023. Everyone had great ideas, but no one had the same great idea. To be honest, this was concerning to me because we don’t have the resources in that organization to do all the current great ideas; we are barely able to do some of the basic things that keep the lights on, so new great ideas seem a bit too much.
So on my turn, I said
I hope that 2023 is a year where we stay focused on the best things and do the hard things necessary to do them well because my fear is we will spread ourselves too thin. And if that happens, we end up:
Causing stress on the organization and its people because we become overcommitted and under resourced
Fighting the fire closest to our feet instead of preventing the fire, to begin with
Feeling disappointed because the list of things we didn’t achieve grows while the list of things we accomplished stays stagnant…
And this lack of focus and outcomes could cause us to feel like we are failing despite the good we are doing.
The message landed precisely as it needed to. Some people’s bubbles burst, and some people nodded their heads in uncomfortable agreement, but no one was confused about where I stood or why I was standing there.
Why this should matter to you
You are probably lacking focus in your life. Sorry to state it so directly, but sometimes things just need to be said, and like the folks at the board meeting, some of you were just offended, and some of you are relieved because the truth was stated, and it wasn’t you who had to express it.
Don’t feel bad; I am lacking adequate focus in my life too.
And focus was mentioned often in the books I read in 2022, so you and I must not be alone. Here are three ideas about the importance of focus.
40% of adults are still looking for a purpose for their lives (source 3 Big Questions That Change Every Teenager)
How we allocate our resources (time, talent, money, and energy) is our actual life strategy (How Will You Measure Your Life), and most people I know don’t
Have or follow a budget (no intention with money)
Own a majority of their calendar at work (they attend other people’s meetings even when there is no agenda and fail to block off time for deep work) or at home (fail to have healthy personal boundaries)
Work out of their strengths the recommended 80% of the time (misuse or ignore their talent)
Spend time every day on activities that create energy (operate from an energy deficit)
Steve Jobs to Nike CEO Mark Parker – “Just get rid of the crappy stuff and focus on the good stuff. The problem is in the moment, the crappy stuff usually looks decent, even good.” (Vision Driven Leader)
James Clear author of Atomic Habits, “Focus is the art of knowing what to ignore.”
You can be confident you are lacking focus in your life if you answer false to any of these statements
I know a purpose for my life.
I allocate a supermajority of my resources (time/talent/money/energy) towards achieving that purpose.
My purpose involves impacting the lives of others, and I know how my actions positively impact those people.
I know the difference between the important stuff and the crappy stuff (no matter how good it looks) in my life and I am good at ignoring it.
What is the answer to improving focus?
Start with the end in mind by setting an intentional definition of success for your life
Embrace that your life is meant to have purpose
Your definition of success should
Align to your purpose
Allow you to leverage your strengths
Positively impact the lives of others
Set goals that are aligned to helping you achieve your purpose.
SMART goals are the best goals
Measure progress as you go
“Influencers are crystal clear about the result they are trying to achieve and are zealous about measuring it. ”
Intentionally allocate an ever-increasing portion of your resources (time, talent, money, energy) toward impacting your definition of success.
Set and follow a budget
Take ownership of your calendar.
At work, block time for deep work and say no to meetings without agendas.
Outside of work, stop saying yes to everything.
Stop allowing your technology to distract you for hours.
““If you never say no, then what is your yes worth?” ”
Get to know what your strengths are and do more work in those areas
Delegate more
Ask for help more often
Get to know what activities give you energy and put time on your calendar to do them
Build a strong community around you
Have an accountability partner to help you work towards your goals and help you stay committed when it gets hard
Find a mentor to help you grow and become a better version of yourself tomorrow than you are today
Spend time with your family and friends, so you have healthy relationships with the people who know you best
If your 2023 is a year of greater focus, your 2023 will be more incredible. Don’t measure yourself by how much you do or how busy you are; instead, measure yourself by how profound your impact is and how engaged in life you are.
“While each of us is gifted with different passions, a different personality, and different capabilities. Having a life lived with focus on the things that matter most will always result in more accomplishments and fulfillment than we ever thought possible.””