Paying Attention and Getting Distracted

I am a fairly focused person.

Focus is one of the traits that personality tests usually identify as one of my strengths. I tend to be good at following directions, taking the specific steps in the specified order to get the desired result.

Some people think I have a version of Attention Surplus Disorder.

My ability to pay attention can be a very valuable gift. I have learned a lot by paying attention. I did well in school and in different jobs. Paying attention has shaped the way I relate to people. When I care about something, I take it seriously enough to pay attention.

There is more to life than paying attention. I am coming to see the gift of distractions.

I am beginning to recognize that focus is a weakness as well as a strength. For me, being focused tends to mean concentrating on something specific. Getting distracted often opens the door to consider things that I had been ignoring or hiding. I tend to focus on the things that I can understand or control, while distractions tend to be about things that I are beyond me.

Focus tends to be about accomplishing goals; distraction tends to be about exploring new possibilities.

We tend to go through our days focused on the tasks we see as important, or urgent, or even crucial. We have our lists of things to do, our goals and objectives, our plan. We tend not to allow other people or ideas distract us. Distractions are the obstacles we need to overcome, the things that threaten to keep us from meeting our own expectations.

I am beginning to see distractions as opportunities to get beyond myself and what I can control.

What are the things that you leave behind as you focus on your plans?

What is your most tempting distraction?

[Image by paul bica]