Focus

Dr. John Demartini is a man who has overcome all odds to achieve success. At school, he was told that he would never learn to read or write. However, through perseverance and effort he achieved this and has excelled academically (achieving a PhD in Quantum Physics) and has become a best-selling personal development author. One of his most important lessons is about how what we focus on determines our lives.

Let us use an example for this. When we are young, are main focus is having fun and going out. Most of our time, money and effort are spent on activities that allow us to do this.

As we grow older, get married and have children, our focus shifts to providing for our family. Most of our time, money and effort are spent on this.

We can all learn a lesson from the bamboo tree.

For the first three years, it only grows a couple of inches under ground, as it develops a strong root system underground.

Then, in the fourth year it grows about 80 feet.

Life is like this as well. Before we can see external success, we must first develop an inner character and mindset that will be the roots of our success.

Once this has been established, success will come so quickly and in such abundance that you will wonder where it was all of this time.

We all need a clear direction in our life.

Many of us have a sense of direction, but it is a confused and misunderstood ideal that cannot truly influence us.

Having goals and a direction is akin to going on a journey.

If you are unsure of where you want to get to, you will probably not get there.

Similarly, even if you know where you are going and are not sure how you will get there, it will be much easier to find a way to succeed.

Goals are the very juice of life. They are our chance to take control and shape our future.

One of the most important questions we can ask ourselves is what do we really want?

The reason why we should ask ourselves this is that so many people who have everything we could possibly dream of did not find happiness.

A prime example of this is Elvis Presley. He literally ate himself to death.

Similarly, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Bob Marley, James Balushi and Jim Morrison all had everything we could possibly dream of.

The most important human need is that of certainty. We need to feel certain that our actions or our ideas will lead to a positive outcome for both ourselves and others.

The difference between something being successful or not is the level of certainty that is behind it.

If you are certain that it will succeed, it will seem effortless to achieve it.

If you are uncertain that it will succeed, fear and a sense of concern will block you from successfully achieving what you desire.

There is a world of difference between doing something different and doing something differently.

When you do something different, you are essentially making the same mistakes, but only in a different situation.

When you do something differently, you are amending your pattern of behavior and tackling the same situation in, hopefully, a more effective way.

Think back to when you were a child. Did you learn to walk the first time you tried?

Most likely, you did not. However, you tried different ways to walk until you finally found a way to walk.

There was once an Indian elder who was asked to explain life.

He replied by saying that inside us all, there are two dogs that are always fighting.

The first dog is good and represents the characteristics of faith, hope and love.

The second do is bad and represents the characteristics of jealousy, anger and hate.

The Indian elder then asked his people which dog will win?

Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to do or master anything in particular.

Their main goal is simply to survive each day.

They do not have a focus that they live their life by. Life, for dabblers, is merely an experience and not an opportunity.

One key characteristic that all successful people have is a clear focus of where they want to go.

They use each day as an opportunity to get closer to that goal.