Taking pictures is one of the most popular things to do today, especially with our phones. This might do for snapshots or "selfies," but what if we’re wanting to take some family pictures?  If that’s the case we may want to have a quality camera and ensure we have clarity with a clear, sharp focus through the viewfinder. This is a good analogy for the importance of focusing in everyday life.

In today’s world, no matter the culture in which we live, most of us are presented with a multitude of options. Being presented with so many options can be perplexing and, at times, overwhelming. That confusion often leads to stifling inaction because we don’t have a clear focus.

The confusion of so many options will largely disappear once we know how to focus. In this sense, focusing relates to clarity. Concentrating all our attention on one specific thing, much as we do with a camera, tends to bring any situation into a sharp relief in order to clarify our relationship with it.

Concentrating attention on something specific, whether it be an event, problem or person, we summon all our energies to bear on it; thereby, it shuts out irrelevant or insignificant details. Maybe you’re thinking that technique won’t work on something that’s extremely important in life, but don’t discard it without more consideration.

This technique will work even if we find ourselves caught in a crisis, where our attention seems to be demanded everywhere at once. When we choose to focus our attention on one aspect of an event or problem, a solution is revealed much easier. A natural progression then begins to unfold, making it possible for us to arrive at overall resolution. Although it can, the solution may not come at a snap of our finger, but the picture becomes clearer as our focus becomes sharper.

Remember one of life’s truisms. Our experience in life is determined by where and upon what we choose to focus our attention and energy, just as a photographer must decide on where to focus the lens and what to leave out. If we let our attention wander, we'll be confused and fuzzy, just like the picture that results from a lens that is not held still.

Why not take charge of where and how to focus your attention? It’s the better alternative because you’ll be taking charge of the situation, and your life!

Think about it…