Opinions of Saturday, 21 March 2020

Columnist: Adjetey Sowah Philip

Focus on your strengths

File Photo File Photo

We all have strengths and weaknesses! You are not perfect and you cannot do everything at all times. But there is one thing you must know, that you can be good at something and be known all over the world.

Why is being focused so important in today’s world? What results happen when you are focused? Does being focused make you less stressed? Happier? If it’s so important, why don’t people focus more?

I believe being focused on one thing for a certain period allows you to do a better quality of work, more work done quicker, and your creative ideas flow pretty much easier. Being focused one task at a time is less stressful on your mind, and being less stressful allows you to be happier and productive- rather than being a “jack of all trade, yet master of none,” which will make you less productive. I remember a Russian proverb that says “If you chase two rabbits, you will catch neither one.”

Being focused means that, you have clear goals and objectives and your work is dedicated to achieving those goals and objectives. A wise man once said, “While multitasking may seem like a great way to get a lot done quickly, it turns out that people are actually rather bad at it. Juggling multiple tasks at once can dramatically cut down on productivity and makes it much harder to hone-in on the details that are truly important.

In order to be productive in life, one must focus on that one strength, that one particular idea, that one particular goal and that one particular task and be fully committed and dedicated to it. Peter Drucker opined; “Efficiency is doing the thing right. Effectiveness is doing the right thing.” Unless you resist distractions, and get focused, you cannot be EFFICIENT.

Yeah, I know it is not easy to be focused in today’s world- where there are a lot of distractions from all corners of the world. For instance, for one we live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with TV, radio programmes, cell phones, internet social media, as well as a much larger population that lives closer together than ever before. Also, the modern economy is almost entirely dependent on consumerism, Government, companies and credit institutions need us to keep spending so that they keep raising money through taxes, sales and lending- less I forget the “wahala” from the family that one has to put up with.

In all these, one must stay true to him/herself. Despite all these distractions, you still have to focus on your strengths, goals and objectives just as Joseph in the bible. Joseph stuck to his dreams despite all he went through in the hands of his brothers, the Ishmaelites, Potiphar’s wife etc. he was still focused. Phillip Sweet wrote, “Stay true to yourself, yet always be open to learn.” Work hard, and never give up on your dreams, even when nobody else believes they can come true but you. These are not clichés but real tools you need no matter what you do in life to stay focused on your path.

Focus on your strength then focus on your focus. Never just be a thinker, or a dreamer or a wisher but make sure to act on your thoughts and dreams and turn them into realities of life. It is better to focus on one task to achieve a lot than to focus on many tasks and end up achieving a little.

When you focus on your strengths, the world will focus on you