The Power Of Focus

Spreading yourself thin makes it harder on yourself

This week was "Blue Monday," the third Monday of the year. It’s the saddest Monday of the year because it’s when so many people give up on their New Year’s goals.

But here’s the thing - it’s not because their goals are impossible or because they’re lazy. It’s often because they’re trying to do too much all at once.

Someone once explained the power of focus to me with a story about a candle and a torch. Random right? But it really stuck.

Imagine lighting a candle in a dark room. The light spreads in all directions, softly illuminating the space, but it’s not strong enough to help you see clearly.

Now imagine taking that same light and focusing it into a torch. When you point it at a sign on the wall, suddenly the words are clear.

Take it even further - focus that light into a laser beam, and it becomes so powerful it can reach the sky.

Same energy—different focus.

Goals are meant to feel hard - and usually we give up on our goals not because we’re not trying, but because we’re spreading ourselves too thin. We’re like the candles, trying to light up everything but not making progress on anything.

The key isn’t to work harder; it’s to focus. Be a Torch, Not a Candle

When I focus on just one or two things, as apposed to 5 or more - I start to see progress. And when I see a bit of progress, I double down and that’s when the momentum builds.

You won’t feel motivated everyday - but that’s when you need focus the most. Keep your eye on the prize and remember why you’re working towards this in the first place.

Focus keeps you moving forward when motivation fades.

If you’ve suffered from a bit of Blue Monday - and you’ve started feeling like your goals are slipping away, it’s not too late. You haven’t failed. You just need to realign your focus.

Pick one goal and pour your energy into it.

Remember, you can’t do everything - but you can do something.

When you focus on that one thing, you’ll be amazed at how much you can achieve.

This year, let’s not be candles. Let’s be torches - or even better, laser beams.

Ngā mihi,
Anton