Focus is a key element of any pursuit. To make a change, it helps to have clearly articulated priorities and goals. Today’s quote from Jack Dixon gives advice on how to do this wisely: “If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results.”
Let’s take an example to better understand this point.
Suppose you want to improve your physical fitness. It’s tempting to aim to be able to lift a certain amount of weight, run a particular distance in a specific period of time, or perform a certain move. While the ability to do these things may be one way to assess progress, if you don’t achieve these goals quickly enough, you are likely to become discouraged and give up. Additionally, if you reach the goal, you may feel ‘finished,’ stop exercising, and wind up worse than before you began.
A better approach is to focus on how you will take action to work toward our goal. For instance, you may focus on getting to the gym for 30 minutes each day, running outside each morning, or taking a yoga class twice a week. The primary focus is not on reaching a specific milestone, but is instead on establishing a new behavior. If/when you stick with the change, you can count this as success. Over time, it is the changed behavior that brings the results. In fact, you may even continue on and surpass your initial goal because you now have developed a new pattern of behavior.
Today’s challenge is to choose one goal for which you will be satisfied to take consistent action, regardless of short-term results.
Where might you like to make a change or establish a habit?
