A Weird and Effective Strategy for Achieving Your Goals
It’s so simple, yet so few of us do it.
Many years ago, I was sport climbing with a friend and struggling with a route. Then, he gave me some advice I will never forget:
Don’t think about the end — that’s a distraction. Instead, focus your attention on each movement as you do it.
He was right. This tiny change to my attention made all the difference. I finished the route and have used this approach ever since.
What does this mean for us? When we think too much about results or outcomes, we get caught up in them and distracted from what we need to do right now to get there.
Paradoxically, to achieve our goals, we need to forget about them. Because after they’ve been set and we have a plan, they can easily become a hindrance.
Focus on what you can control
Thinking too much about our goals often distracts us from achieving them, like when you’re thinking about a promotion rather than doing the work that will help you get it.
Our problem is this: we have limited attention and mental resources, so if our minds aren’t focused on what we’re doing, we’re not doing our best work. If we’re not doing our best work, we’re delaying achieving…
