Focus is tough any day let alone with the challenges of recent years.
Remote work, virtual school, the stress of being secluded. You name it, it’s been difficult.
Loss of focus not only affects our work projects, health, fitness, etc but most importantly it affects our mind. It can weigh on us and make us feel like we are not accomplishing anything. It has a way of making us feel like we are in a constant spiral with no way out.
But we do have a way. It’s a place, really. It’s a place deep down inside that we often don’t visit because it is uncomfortable. It is a place where we have to hold ourselves accountable. That can always be challenging.
In our minds, we can learn to control when it’s time to work and when we let the stress of things grab hold. We can control when to focus positively or let procrastination drip in. We can learn to push our body to the next level in a workout or cash it in and jog to the end.
We need to find a place in our minds to go. I call it an “island”.
It’s a place of loneliness where nobody else can touch you. It’s euphoric. It’s serene. But it may take some pain to get there. We have to push aside all of the distractions, less important work, fear of not being able to accomplish something.
All of it must go.
The only way to get to this spot is to keep showing up. When I was a kid delivering newspapers in freezing temps in New York, this happened to be a visual of a beach with the sun beaming down. That kept me warm. For a tough workout, it’s distracting my brain to think about something else when the pain creeps in versus focusing on the pain when it appears.
There is no right or wrong way for you. It’s about putting yourself in these uncomfortable positions and seeing how your body reacts. What you need to do to get out of the discomfort without quitting.
That’s when you know you’ve reached the island. You feel the same as you did before but are now on a much deeper level and have taken the steps to push yourself outside your comfort zone, through the zone of discomfort, and into a place where few ever find.
Welcome to your island. Isn’t it beautiful?