Keeping It Simple: Focus On What You Can Do

We all like to have choice. We like to live our lives in our own personal, unique ways. But for many, how we do that is now impossible. So what do we do? Focus on what you can do!

Yes, it sounds simple! But early in the pandemic I found myself focused on what I wasn’t able to do. I wasn’t able to travel to races or any other type of gathering where I normally would engage with people and also earn a living. My world shrunk to my house and the grocery store.

I felt trapped until this simple mantra can into my head: focus on what you can do!

A cloud lifted! I could still exercise, albeit in different ways since everything had top be based out of my house. I could still interact and work remotely with many areas of my business life. With life simplified I found I was taking more time to just be.

It was springtime when this shift took place and my daily reminder was to focus on what you can do. I was aware of the flowers coming out like no other time in my life. I maybe the most concentrated amount of time with my son. We talked about life and dreams and picked apart training ideas and solved the world’s problems from our living room.

I took “focus on what you can do” to unexpected levels. With more time and simplicity I also reflected not just on what I could do, but what I might want to do that never occurred to me before.

Think of it this way, if you get fired from your job, you have a lot of time to ask yourself what’s next.

I didn’t exactly get fired, but so much of the work I usually do over the summer suddenly didn’t exist. There were no races to go to and work at. Companies cancelled conferences that hire speakers to come and talk. And with that extra incentive to ask what might I want to do that I never have before some pretty amazing insights came. More on that another day!

Have you found yourself stuck focusing on what you cannot do?

If so, try making that simple shift and focus on what you can do. It could be seeing simple ways you can improve your health and fitness. You might discover even better ways to conduct your work. Perhaps you too are seeing the importance and opportunity to engage more with those near and dear to you.

Here is a Shed Talk where I explore this idea more. Enjoy!

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