the power of focus
Saturday 3:30 pm - August 19, 2017
I stopped at the light in Moon Twp and looked over my shoulder to see a very scary sight - dark clouds rolling in fast and aggressively. Normally, this wouldn't be a big deal, but at this particular moment, I was still about 45 minutes from home... and I was on the motorcycle.
Riding in the rain is never fun. It's dangerous, uncomfortable, and painful. Since I was only wearing my new favorite T-Shirt, I knew I was in for the feeling of being shot with thousands of BBs.
I was on my way to pick up my suit coat that I left behind at a wedding 3 months ago. Of course, I pick a day and time that puts me directly in the path of the storm. I could have looked at the weather channel and saw the bad news, but I figured I could make it. Well, I thought wrong.
The storm hit with such intensity that it prohibited me from seeing while I was driving. Scared for my life, I had to pull over and try to gain shelter from an overhanging tree off the main road. Soaked to the bone, I began to shake from the cold. The tree provided little protection and I began to search for anything to keep me and the bike dry until the wicked storm would pass by. I held onto a tree (which did very little) and my body shook uncontrollably.
It is in times like this, I know the only way to escape the pain is to concentrate on another place, another time, and another feeling. My mind searched. It didn't take long for it to think of something I was really looking forward to - The Next Day.
The next day was the photo shoot for DreamStarters University's new ad campaign. Since we acquired a new IG account with 60K followers, 2 more writers, and some major clients, it was time to begin growing our image. It was going to be an exciting day with a lot at stake.
I began thinking about the photos we were going to take, everything that got us to this point, and how great it will be to have an ad campaign that was filmed in a movie theater that we reserved.
My mind was full of optimism. "The ad campaign was going to be incredible" I said to myself. "I cannot wait to show the world what we have to offer."
My focus was not on the horrible situation I was in at the moment. It was focused on the next day, which was something that meant a great deal to me.
Suddenly, my shaking began to subside. And then, in a moment, it was gone.
I wasn't cold, I wasn't angry, and I wasn't scared anymore. I was just anxious for the next day.
Eventually, the rain died down and I was able to make it to my destination. Turns out, when I did arrive, I met some absolutely incredible people. And if it wasn't for the whole "being caught in the rain" escapade, I never would have met them.
In the end, the photo shoot was a huge success and it turned out better than I had planned in my head.
The Take-Away is this:
The power of focus is real. What you focus on will determine how you look at every situation. You can focus on the pain or you can focus on "the next day" - something that is much more important. There are going to be many storms in your life. They will come in many different forms in your relationships, in your career, with your health, and in your journey. But remember, they won't last forever. And if you focus on something else, something that is going right in your life, something that is in your control, something that is more important, then the pain can go away in a flash. The fear will subside, the shaking will die, and clarity will come rushing back.
What you focus on will change your emotions and your results. It is for this reason I focus on solutions and not problems.
Hated my job? Focus on the solution - Start a business that I loved.
Seeing people in my life who didn't want me to win? Focus on the solution - Choose better people to surround myself with.
Lack of resources to promote my business? Focus on the solution - Write a book and use as an effective way to communicate my message to thousands of people.
What you focus on determines how you feel, what you accomplish, and who you become.
Tomorrow is going to be incredible. I can't wait to show the world.... And neither should you.
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Mike Fallat helps entrepreneurs write and publish bestselling books. Then, teaches them how to use as a marketing tool to get clients, speaking gigs, and credibility.