Bring it into Focus

I work as a communications strategist. Ideas are my life’s work. In other words, people pay me to think. I have to come into a situation, observe things and in a short amount of time provide a plan or a set of ideas to help guide them into the next levels of their life, period.

Sometimes it out of a crisis, sometimes it’s out of a stalemate, sometimes it’s into something entirely new. But it’s all ideas.

Now their job is to take my plans, my ideas and focus on making it happen. Focus, concentrate and block out everything else that may be swirling around you. Trust me it’s easier said than done!

In the process of accessing a personal plan for this next decade, I will break things down into several categories. My work, my personal life, my spiritual walk and my ministry. There may even be subcategories under these, but these are my main concerns. How does this look in the next decade and what are the steps to be taken in this coming year? The bible tells us to write the vision down so that we can run with it. That is very important. Because we may need to refer to our decisions at some point.

Now sometimes you need to shock yourself into a new mindset. That is why we choose to fast in some capacity at the first of the year. Fasting is a great way to level the playing field before attempting something new. And before everyone lists the reasons, they can’t fast…fasting can be very diverse.

Maybe it’s a food-based fast which is most common. But it can also be a fast from device additions such as phones, tablets, twitter, Facebook, etc. Or television, unedifying music, gossip or any behavior that is unbecoming as a person of faith. It might be fasting from debilitating people, your usual clique or running buddies. It’s always good to turn aside and hear God’s voice for yourself. Remember it takes 21 days to break a habit. So, fasting before you undertake focus might be a good idea.

Break your plan down into do-able segments like 1-3 months; I will follow this and then have a time of assessment to see how far you have gone and if you need to re-evaluate or re-assess something.

Many things will be gleamed along the way. Keep a weekly journal to record small progressions and weekly decisions. Then every few months hold a meeting with yourself and see how well you did and what you may need to improve on. And figure out what you can easily do by yourself and what you may need help tackling.

We are entering into a time where everything around us is confusing. Things are changing daily. Moral, ethical, and social barometers are being moved around every day. If we don’t set up our own purpose-driven parameters, we will be caught up in whatever is happening around us. Swept into the trends of our social group and the situations and atmospheres around us. And before you know it, a year has passed by and we are no further along with our purpose than we were last year.

We must be rooted and grounded in something that will not move, no matter the winds and rains around it. We have to have goals that are anchored by a purpose under heaven. And we have to be able to keep our eyes stayed on that thing that we are committed to seeing come into fruition.

To have focus means to see clearly. No shadows, or blurred intentions.

No distracted vision. But eyes straight ahead clearly moving with determination and purpose. It’s great to have ideas. But we need a plan to see those ideas come into place.