Year-old Thoughts on Focus That Are Still True

Here's a little something I found recently that I wrote a year or so ago, when the lack of focus around me seemed to be a theme in my life. Particularly, this conspectus is a result of one of those quick and dirty writing sessions; it was something I had to write and I had to get out. It was initially intended to be submitted for publication through the organization's newsletter, and while I will not be doing that now, I still think this is worth saying (or blogging about, for that matter).

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Focus: A condition in which something can be clearly apprehended or perceived.

I’ve been thinking a lot about focus recently. With the passing of 2005, I have found myself relying more and more on my focus. On January 3, 2006, I found myself saying that I should have resolved to do LESS. (I didn’t resolve to do more.)With all of these great endeavors on which to spend my copious amounts of free time, I find that to accomplish anything, I have to be focused all the time.

I applied and was accepted as a committee board member for a very large project. It is a huge step for me. Admittedly, many of you reading this are probably thinking, “Who is she? I don’t recognize her.”

That could be blamed on school, really. I am finishing up my MBA at UNCG, and have had classes on two nights of any Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of the week for the last three years. That said, if there was a meeting held in the last year, I was probably sitting in class, thoroughly enjoying the privilege for which I pay.

The past several months have also brought larger changes in my everyday life. I moved from a ridiculously low-paying cushy state job with a great team for what I thought was more responsibility and more money. Unfortunately, only one of those things panned out. Nonetheless, I am still adjusting to several hundred new people in an international, private company.

I’ve also accepted a board position with a professional group, learning much more about a profession that I truly enjoy. Being on this board gives me hope that I can once again do what I really enjoy – hopefully soon.

I am also finishing up a three-year stint on my neighborhood association board. And yes, regardless of all that I’m doing, I’ve accepted the newsletter as one of my responsibilities for that position – in return for giving up the website.

You can see that focus is very important in my life. While I’ve always been an avid list maker (I’m quite upset that I can’t find the list that I made earlier this week – I’m sure I’m overlooking something on the new list I created to replace it), I find that just having it on paper and being aware of a responsibility doesn’t even begin to get it done. But having it on paper helps to raise its awareness in your mind – and each time you look at that list, you see that it’s still there and you’re reminded that the task isn’t yet done.

The idea of telling people about focus is a multi-million dollar industry. Don’t believe me? Go to Borders, and take a look at the self-help section. Or, if you’re stuck at a computer, type "focus" into the search field on Amazon. 18,846 books on focus.

My issue, however, isn’t so much focus. I’ve got plenty of that. It’s motivation. And, it’s the marriage of motivation and focus that means I can actually do all that I do. I must admit that I do have this fear that my motivation will decide to leave me (as it sometimes does), but I realize that by remembering my focus will help that motivation return.

Focus helps you define goals, set objectives and work towards those dreams you’ve always wanted. Don’t believe me? Dream map for one year. Heck, just make a list and work off of it. See if it works.

The organization is at a crossroads. It must remain viable to the community, and much more so to the members and potential members. Perhaps the abundance of young professional organizations in Greensboro which aren’t in any way related to this organization says something. The community knows the organization for two things: golf, and unfortunately, parties. That’s it. Survey any of young professionals you know – ask them what the organization does. If you’re surprised at the answers, you know that the organization has lost its focus.

I sincerely doubt that anyone in the national office would define any the chapter the way young professionals in our community (the target market) defines the organization.

The group is lucky in the fact that it's made difficult changes to “keep” the golf tournament. However, it appears that the difficult changes are not over. The organization need to focus on the long-term.

Think about it: if the golf tournament doesn’t continue past 2010, where would the organization be? What would it do? The Christmas parade? Junior Miss? Rib Fest? Could any of these other projects happen – for years - if we don’t have the golf tournament? No, of course not.

For years, the organization's identity has been deeply integrated with everything that the golf tournament is. While it may have been just another project at one time, it hasn’t been that way for decades.

While the golf tournament isn’t and shouldn’t be the only and complete focus, it has become that. I joined the group because I wanted to make a difference in my community. For too long, I’ve ignored the fact that many say all the group does is drink and party. I've now completely given up on it for those very reasons.

At the very least, the organization needs to remake itself. Its image has got to change. If the image doesn’t change, the organization's most valuable things (the “pet projects,” if you will) will. How do you respond to an official who says, “Bob Jones, one of your best volunteers over there, said he’d never join the organization because he doesn’t want to feel like he’s in a fraternity. Why am I letting a bunch of “fraternity” members run this golf tournament?”

Last year, focus could have helped the organization regain what was quickly becoming unattainable: the best chapter in the world. I'm not certain that realizing the need for focus and making significant changes now would be enough to overcome the self-inflicted damage the organization has endured in the last year. At this point, that prized tournament is almost as good as lost - but only for the organization. The tournament will go on, as its board has realized and made the necessary hard changes.

Don’t forget: the quicker you let go of old cheese, you find new cheese.