Tag Archives: Attention

On the Way

30 Aug

When we’re trying to be the very best we can be and do things well it can be hard to accept when things don’t work out. When we’re trying hard to excel it’s disappointing when we miss the mark we’re aiming for. It would be great if everything came to us easily and every project was successful but that’s not real life. We all have shortcomings and weaknesses. Nobody is perfect and even if we really want to achieve sometimes we will come up short. It’s hard to accept that we can’t do everything the first time we try especially if what we’re trying to do is important to us. But there are endless versions in life and if one plan doesn’t work, we can try another. We’re constantly changing and moving toward somewhere else or on the way to a new place. If one road doesn’t take us to our destination, we can try another. We don’t have to give up. Nothing can keep us from where we want to go but we may have to try a few different paths to find success.

The old saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again,” is helpful. We understand sometimes we have to try a few different ideas before we find the one that works. But if we’ve been trying for a while and still haven’t succeeded we may begin to feel defeated. It’s hard to keep going when the road never seems to end. But if the goal is something we really want to achieve, there is nothing that can keep us from it. We may have to try several different ideas, and it may take us longer than we had planned but it’s still there waiting for us. If we adjust a little and try a different method, we will eventually find success. Anything worth gaining is worth our time. We can take whatever time we need to get there and we can succeed.

This life is constantly in “hurry up” mode. It seems no matter what we’re doing someone expects us to get it done quicker but if we only focus on how long it takes to accomplish a task we may miss all the things we’re learning on the way. We can try to get things done quickly and often we will, but if we focus on getting them done well instead of the time it takes we will be happier with the results in the end. If we rush we may miss subtle clues that can bring us greater success. Doing our best requires our attention. Trying to hurry may get us to the end faster but it probably won’t improve the result. Whatever we’re doing is worth doing well. We can do our best at every step and when we get to the goal we’ll be happy and satisfied with our accomplishment.

Today if you’ve been trying to accomplish something and haven’t succeeded, it is still there for you. Adjust your path and try another road. You don’t have to hurry and the goal is within reach. There is nothing that will stop you from getting there. You have everything you need to succeed. Try again. You’re already on the way and success is just around the corner.

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Unsung

19 Aug

As we go through our days we have limitless choices to make.  Every day brings a new challenge or question to answer.  If we want to be our best we try to make each decision well.  We try to keep our feet on the road we want to travel and get closer to the person we want to become.  Sometimes people notice our good works but often they just get lost in the shuffle of everyday living.  If we make a good decision that requires us to sacrifice something we may feel others should acknowledge it.  Perhaps we feel we should receive some kind of praise because we chose well.  But we don’t make good choices for the acclaim they bring.  We make them because they are the best decisions we can make going forward.  We will find great satisfaction by choosing well and oftentimes prevent complications and problems doing so.  We don’t need the praise or adoration of others because we were wise.  Being wise will bring us enough reward.  We will be content in our lives by choosing the best roads possible and feel good knowing we are doing our best.  Although the praise of others feels good it is not required or needed.

Some decisions we face may have attractive options that won’t take us where we want to go.  It can be hard to turn away from a quick fix or a poor choice that will bring us benefits we desire.  But temporary solutions generally bring only momentary happiness and often result in endless complications.  If we’re tired or frustrated and want to move forward quickly we may opt for them, but in the end may find the harder more effective decision was wiser.  We don’t need immediate gratification to find happiness.  We can carefully plan for all possible outcomes and choose the very best option even if it takes more time and is more difficult.  We are what we do.  If we want to be the very best we can be we must make the very best choices.

Some people need a lot of attention.  They want praise every time they do something right, and recognition when they accomplish a difficult task.  Oftentimes that need for attention comes from a lack of confidence.  We can be confident by choosing well.  The need for approval and acknowledgement may influence us into making decisions that aren’t the best choice going forward.  If what we’re seeking isn’t long term success but immediate praise, we may choose options that are quick and flashy but have no lasting success.  We don’t need the agreement of others to choose well.  We can make the best choices even if we stand alone.  We are smart enough, capable enough and wise enough to find the best answers and we are strong enough to choose them.  There isn’t anything we can’t understand and master if we want to badly enough.  We don’t need adoration to choose well.  We can make the best choices and succeed because it’s what we want most to do.

Today if you’re facing a decision choose the path that takes you closer to the person you want to be.  There is greatness in you.  Show the world who you really are by choosing well.  You have so much to offer and we all need your influence.  Choose wisely and success will follow.

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Owning the Future

1 Apr

Each day of our lives brings challenges and blessings.  We never know what will come and most of us try to do our best in every situation.  We live in the present and although we think about our futures and even plan for them, there is no way to tell how they will actually come to pass.  However, our decisions can impact what our futures look like.  Whatever roads we choose, wherever they lead, if we stay on them we have no choice but to arrive at their destination.  If we’re on a path that will take us to a place we don’t want to go, we can change our course.  If we do nothing, make no pro-active decisions but just let things roll out on their own, and allow others to decide where we’re headed, we may end up with a future that isn’t anything like the one we want.  We can’t control everything but if we do our best to direct our lives we have a better shot at finding happiness.  If we want to own our futures we have to pay attention.  We have make sure we’re going where we want to go and if not, change our direction.  The future will come no matter what we do.  But if we leave it to chance, we may not end up where we want to be.

Every choice has a result.  If we choose thoughtfully how we live our lives, the result will likely be what we’re hoping for.  But choosing to do nothing is a choice as well.  If we sit back and are careless about where we’re going, or too lazy to actually direct our lives, they will roll forward on their own.  Other people’s decisions will direct us one way or another, and instead of moving forward toward goals we want to achieve, we may drift one way, and then another, with no destination in mind.  The years will pass and if we continue, in time we may find ourselves somewhere we never imagined we’d end up.  But if we coast along, being blown here and there by things that happen and have no rudder to guide our ship, we have no direction.  It’s easy to coast along and let others make decisions for us, but that will never take us where we really want to go.

There are limitless ways to live our lives.  Some people are very active and ambitious, others are more laid back and easy going.  The versions and choices are endless.  But no matter what our personal styles are, it’s imperative that we live on purpose, aware of where we are, what we’re doing, and where we’re headed.  In our daily routines it’s easy to become complacent and just go through the motions.  Although every day is different, we pretty much know what to expect.  Unfortunately that can lead to laziness and a lack of initiative.   If we allow complacency to be the focus we will lose our direction. But our lives are ours to direct and we are the ones responsible for where they go.  If we want to own our futures, we have to be involved and actively engaged.  We are in control.  We can determine our direction, and we can succeed.

Today if you’ve been drifting along and taking a backseat in directing your life, pay attention.  This day will pass and where you go tomorrow is up to you.  Make the best decisions that will ensure you end up where you want to be.  You have everything you need to be happy.  Today, do what is needed to make sure you get there.

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I Can’t Hear You

14 Aug

Have you ever known someone who constantly talks about how smart they are, but you’ve watched them make bad decisions over and over again?  Or someone who tells you how much they are going to do, but they don’t seem to accomplish anything? How about someone who talks about how kind and nice they are, but all you’ve seen is impatience and criticism from them? There is sometimes a disconnect between who we say we are, and what we do.  Sometimes they don’t match.  So which is it?  Are we the person we tell everyone we are, or are we the person whose life we’re actually leading? The truth is who we are isn’t what we say.  Who we are is what we do. We are living in the real world, and what we actually do tells the real story.

Sometimes people say they are one thing or another because it’s more flattering. Perhaps they want to be known as a generous person, so they tell people every time they do something that could be considered generous so they will be perceived as more giving than they really are. Perhaps they want to be considered patient and loving, so when others are listening, they adopt a patient and loving demeanor, even if it isn’t sincere. But people are smart. We’re very perceptive, and we can often spot a fake from twenty paces. The old saying that actions speak louder than words is true. It’s impossible to hear what someone is saying if their actions belie the claim.

When we first meet someone, we may be misled.  We hear what they tell us about themselves and at first, since we have no reason to doubt, we believe them. But sometimes as we get to know them, we realize they aren’t exactly the person they want us to think they are. If the disparity is egregious, we may determine they cannot be trusted. If it’s minor we may overlook it.  Either way, we need to pay attention. It’s important for us to know the truth about those around us so we know where we stand. It’s very painful to believe in someone, and then discover later that nothing we believed in was real. If we pay attention, we’ll figure out where the lines are, and what’s true. Gaining that knowledge will help us navigate the relationship more effectively as we move forward.

Today as you interact with those around you, pay attention. Listen to what is being said, and watch what is being done.  Learn about them, and understand who they really are. You’ll be more confident when you deal with them, and you’ll know how to handle your interactions with them more effectively.  Knowledge is power. Today, look around, pay attention, and gain the knowledge you need to go forward with confidence.

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In the Zone

5 Aug

The other day I lent my car to a friend to run an errand.  He called me asking how to open the gas cover door so he could fill my tank.  I explained that there was a little latch on the floor next to the driver’s seat that he could pull up to open it.  But he said he was looking at that area and there was no latch.  I was sure it was there and asked him to look again, to which he replied, “I’m looking at the floor next to the seat and there is nothing like that.”  Unable to figure it out, he returned my car and asked me to show him the latch.  To my utter surprise when I looked in the car, there was no latch.  What?  I have owned this car for several years, and have filled the tank hundreds of times.  And then it came to me – you just had to push on the door to open it.  The phantom latch I was remembering was on a rental car I had driven recently.

I was dismayed by this experience.  How could I have forgotten something so basic that I do so often?  Well, it turns out, it’s not that hard.  We do things automatically, without thinking, and when they are part of our regular routine, we can get so used to the action, we are hardly aware of what we’re doing.  We go on auto pilot.  If I had needed to fill my gas tank, I would have automatically opened the little door.  But trying to access that information to share with someone else outside of the situation didn’t happen.  I never paid much attention.  And so, it never really became part of my conscious awareness.

We can do a lot of things on auto pilot.  We can go through our lives, go through the motions, and basically zone out.  We have our routines, some things are pretty predictable, and we fail to pay attention.  It’s something we all do.  We can go about completing our mundane tasks like drones on a mission.  But if we pay attention, if we decide to be involved and aware, we will get more out of our experiences.  There are so many people who come in and out of our lives we may ignore.  The cashier at the grocery store, the guy who makes our coffee every day, the crossing guard at the school we pass each morning, and others.  They are part of our lives, and taking just a moment to give a friendly wave, say hello, learn their names and build a relationship with them, will enrich us.  We have become an isolated society paying more attention to our smart phones than those around us.  But we can change that.  Every person we meet has something to offer, and each one is unique and special in some way.  If we extend our hands, say hello, zone in, and participate, our lives will be richer, and we’ll feel more connected to our world.

Today try to zone in.  Try to pay attention to those around you.  Say hello, introduce yourself, get to know the people you interact with regularly.  Be aware, and open up.  We are all connected to each other.  Don’t ignore those you come in contact with.  Today, engage them.  You’ll make new friends, and your life with be richer.

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