We want to accomplish things but often struggle to do so. One of the chief reasons is because we try to do too much.
The authors of The 4 Disciplines of Execution caution against focusing on too many things. They state that when focus is placed on two or even three goals, a person is likely to accomplish them. But when focus is placed on four to ten goals, a person is likely to achieve only one or two of them. If a person pursues eleven to twenty goals, the ability to focus is lost and none of the goals are accomplished.
Key to Forward Movement: How to Get Stuff Done
The key to forward movement, therefore, is to identify the two to three things needed and work towards that end.
The key to forward movement, therefore, is to identify the two to three things needed and work towards that end.
Equally important, especially for a leader, is to determine the two to three things you do well and focus primarily on those two to three things.
Most church leaders exhibit visionary tendencies, and visionaries are typically drawn to an abundance of things. But spreading one’s self too thin does not work to one’s advantage. Focus is the key. Narrowing things down is essential. Two ways I have found to take control of distractions are:
1. Delegate Tasks
So try this. Think about the following: What are the top two or three things you can do, things that bring the most value in accomplishing your purpose? What can you delegate that would enable you to focus on what brings the most value? You don’t have anyone to delegate to? Then who can you train? Your ability to focus on the two or three things that bring the most value is essential to the accomplishment of the overall vision.
Your ability to focus on the two or three things that bring the most value is essential to the accomplishment of the overall vision. Click To Tweet2. Maintain Focus
This is difficult for many of us. We have wired ourselves for distractions. Cal Newport, in Deep Work, explains:
If every moment of potential boredom in your life—say, having to wait five minutes in line or sit alone in a restaurant until a friend arrives—is relieved with a quick glance at your smartphone, then your brain has likely been rewired to a point where it’s not ready for deep work, even if you regularly schedule time to practice this concentration.
There is hope, however. We can rewire our brains. One way to do this is by scheduling an occasional break from focus, to give into distraction, as opposed to an occasional moment to focus. This may be difficult, but it is doable. As Newport maintains, “Your ability to concentrate is only as strong as your commitment to train it.”
Want to accomplish things? Improve your focus, and you will get more stuff done.
Bio: Eugene Wilson is a minister with over thirty years of pastoral experience, and he has a doctorate in strategic leadership from Regent University. He is the founder of the coaching and consulting organization Equipping Leaders and an adjunct professor at Urshan College and Urshan Graduate School of Theology. He and his wife, Kerri, have two children.
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