The Force of Focus (part 2): Five practical ways we can maintain a narrow focus
In The Force of Focus part 1, I highlighted the need and priority to be able to focus. This is my theme for the year and I’m addressing one of the primary challenges that I face: the challenge of how I keep my focus on what matters most when there are so many things that can distract me. I’m seeking to address the following challenges that I/we face as leaders:
- How do we keep our focus in a world where there are so many things vying for our attention?
- How do we focus when there are so many good things we could be doing as there are so many needs we could be addressing?
- How do we avoid the pitfalls that so many leaders seem to stumble into, the more nefarious distractions that can compromise our integrity and derail our growth and impact?
- And how, as Christ-centred servant leaders, do we follow the example of Jesus so that we can remain focused on Him for the long haul, committing our lives to fulfilling the tasks that He has set out for us to accomplish (Eph. 2:10)?
In this article, I want to provide some practical steps we can take to maintain our focus in a world of distractions. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but some principles I’m seeking to apply in my life and leadership.
- Run from Danger
I think this is perhaps the best piece of advice we can give anyone in leadership. It seems that so many leaders want to live on the edge of what is morally, acceptable. And when you live on the edge, you’ll eventually fall off. The Bible is clear. Don’t court temptations. Paul instructs us to flee sexual immorality (2 Cor. 6:8) and advises his protege, Timothy, to flee youthful lusts (2 Tim. 2:22). If you are approaching a potentially morally compromising situation then turn around 180° and run away.
This may seem a negative instruction. But it demonstrates the urgency of the situation. One single compromise in the area of sex, money, or the misuse of power can completely disintegrate our reputation as leaders, permanently derail our ministry, and ultimately undermine the cause of the Gospel. We cannot even flirt with danger in this area. No! Don’t get distracted. Run from danger as fast as you can. Perhaps the best way to do this is to confess any moral challenges you are facing to a trusted friend and ask them to stand with you in prayer as you courageously maintain your focus on maintaining a godly lifestyle. - Recover Spiritual Practices
A lot is being written about emotional and spiritual health for leaders. There are some great resources available. This is more than just having a so-called “quiet time”. Rather, it’s building spiritual disciplines in our lives to help us focus on what matters most, namely our relationship with Jesus. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all recipe for spiritual disciplines. It’s worth experimenting with different suggestions and models. What is clear is that this is a counter-cultural necessity to avoid getting caught up in what has been famously called the tyranny of the urgent (the title of Charles Hummel’s 1967 booklet, showing that this is not just a 21st-century problem).
I particularly find the practices of journaling, listening to worship music, and prayer-walking extremely helpful. I enjoy occasional silence retreats and my wife and I have a daily reflective practice that we follow before going to bed. These spiritual rhythms help keep me focused on the Lord in the various stages of my day. What are the spiritual practices that you have found most helpful? Do you need to recover some of them into your daily rhythm of life, work, and leadership? - Establish a Digital Rule of Life
Managing our online activity is a massive challenge for 21st-century leaders. Author and speaker John Mark Comer is a strong advocate for a digital rule of life. This is a way of taking control of our devices and online activity rather than being controlled by them. Again, this could be different for everyone, but a digital rule of life will determine when and how you access the internet, communications, social media etc. It may involve putting your phone to bed at a certain time, ensuring accountability with a trusted friend about your internet usage, or having a regular sabbath from all devices. No one seems to like living by rules, however, having a digital rule of life can be life-giving and ensure we are free from enslavement and addiction to our phones and laptops. Take some time to write some guidelines down for yourself. Revisit them regularly and prayerfully consider if you are in control of your devices or are they controlling and distracting you? - Consistent Reminders of our Calling
I make no apologies for including this quote again as I feel it is key to maintaining our focus on what matters. Richard Blackaby has written:
“One of the keys to effective leadership today is staying focused on what God has called you to do. It’s easy to become so fixated on what others are doing (or not doing) that you fail to complete the assignment God has given you. As you get older, you may find that God reduces your commitments and activities so you have time to focus on your priorities. We need to invest not in what we can do but in what we must do.”
As leaders, we need to be able to clearly define our calling and to consistently remind ourselves of the assignment that God has given to us. It sounds so simple: we serve people best when we are serving within the things God has called us to do rather than the things we are not called to do. However, particularly for entrepreneurial Christian leaders, it’s easy to see so many gaps and opportunities. But before we pursue them, we need to be certain that it is something God is calling us into, otherwise it could be a costly distraction. - Care for your Soul
My final piece of advice is to make sure you’re having fun. If life is getting too serious, then it might be that you are focusing on the wrong things or taking too much responsibility on your own shoulders. Jesus promised that his burden is easy and his yolk is light (Mt. 11:28-30). At The Message (the organisation I’m part of) we actively seek to not take ourselves too seriously. There needs to be space and room in our lives for fun and laughter. If it’s a long time since you belly-laughed or simply engaged in some frivolous fun, then perhaps it’s time to reconsider your priorities. To maintain a healthy perspective on life and stay focused for the long haul, we need to care for our souls.
The force of focus is critical if we are to be effective as servant leaders. Our ultimate focus is on loving God and loving others. However, even as we seek to do that, we can find that we get distracted by the tasks of leadership and our daily responsibilities. I hope this article has helped provoke thought and action that will enable you to focus on what matters most.