The Best Auto Repair Shop Owners Focus on the Right Stuff!

Focus on the Right Stuff by Rick White, President 180BIZ

There is one differentiator that separates the major players from everyone else. That difference is focus. People tell me all the time that they can't focus; that they don't have focus. I say that's absolutely untrue. We all have focus. It's just what we focus on that’s the problem? The reality is most of us, me included, at times major in minor things. We spend our focus on stuff that ultimately is inconsequential. And that's the separation. It's all about being truly successful in whatever it is you want. It's all about being able to stay focused on what's important. I will give you the steps for focus.

1. CLARITY.  Understand where you want to go. Get very clear on your objective. And please don't make it about money. When you make your objective about money, you tend to sabotage yourself. Most of us have been brought up where money is evil. You start to think that you’re only in this for the money.  Instead, find an objective, a purpose, a passion, and make that your objective. Make your objective about helping people, serving others, being able to do something with the money you get. So, the first thing you need for focus is CLARITY of where you want to go.
2. DO IT NOW. Realize that focus isn't something that happens when nothing else is going on. Focus is something that happens while everything else is going on. That noise, the distractions. We call that life. If you wait for that to be gone so you can get started, you will be dead. Start as soon as you possibly can. So, recognize that be having that focus is having the focus within the noise.
3. SHARE. Let other people know what your focus is. With everybody looking for help and thinking about the money and all the benefits, that's really important. But I'm telling you, you can find people that are just as lit up about your focus and want to be a part of it.
4. IMPLEMENT. After you've shared it with everyone, you start to think about ways to make it happen. Here’s where you MUST have that focus.
5. MUSCLE. Now, I need you to understand this. You're getting clear on what your objective is. You've got the other people involved. You recognize it must be done among the noise. I want you to understand that focus is not a gift. Focus is a muscle. You can work on that muscle and get it stronger and stronger and stronger.
   
   You need to make your objective a magnificent obsession. It's just something you have to do. It may not even be something you see in your lifetime. If you think back to Martin Luther King. His dream was for his children could grow up in a community that judged them by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. I think that's an amazing obsession that he did not get to see in his lifetime, but he made progress. His life was filled with purpose. And I think he could look back on it and smile and realize that he made a difference.
6. HABIT. The last thing I will bring up is because it's a muscle, you can get better and better at it. But you need to have a habit. I will give you a habit to help you keep your focus focused. Every morning, write down what your focus is. Every night, write down what your focus is. And at lunchtime, set an alarm in your watch or on your phone or somewhere. And just have it say focus and take two minutes to remember what your focus is.

Remember, there will be other things that that need your attention. Having this single-minded focus is good, but it's not real life. Right? That's not realistic. But remind yourself what your focus is. And then write down one, two or three things that will do that day that will move you toward that obsession, toward that objective. By doing that, it will make all the difference in your world and those around you.

I truly believe that each and every one of us has something amazing, something great within us. If we just have the courage to let it out, it's a big deal. You need to do stuff scared. I'm writing a book right now and it’s scaring the crap out of me. It's almost done, though. Understand that you must do stuff scared. Satisfaction, that feeling of amazingness doesn't happen on this side of fear. It happens on the other side of fear where you accomplished it. So give yourself the gift of focus. Give yourself the gift and the of courage and start moving forward. Step out and be something amazing.

Thank you for being here today. God bless, stay safe and go make some money.