Leadership Refined Focus Lesson Three

Think About It... Great minds have purposes, others have wishes. Washington Irving

Last week in your journal you wrote about your goals. In a small group share from your journal the list of top five things that you would love to be able to tell reporters that you accomplished in your lifetime.

On what three things does the focused person concentrate? 1.They work on __________. 2.They concentrate on their _____________. 3.They work well with ____________. Review

What does nature teach us? When you look at this picture of the tree growth in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, you see a number of trees determined to survive in the rugged mountain terrain. Trees don’t have minds or emotions like humans, but it is obvious that they are quite capable of surviving and even thriving amidst hardship. One could say they are focused on staying alive. In spite of the harsh winds, limited nutrients, and rocky soil, they survive. We could take heed from these rugged mountain trees. With determination, persistence and focus, goals can be achieved. How difficult are the elements that affect your life?

Goals become the easiest to attain when they align with one’s principles and values. These principles and values can be identified through a mission statement. Steven Covey and the folks at FranklinCovey suggest that defining a personal mission statement is like “deciding first which wall you want to lean your ladder of life against, and then beginning to climb.” They offer a sequence of introspective thinking for discovering your own personal mission statement. Where mission and goals align… …success is imminent.

Focus – Journal #5 It has oft been quoted that, “if you don’t decide your own future, someone else will.” One way to help you decide your own future is to decide what your life is all about. (This can change, and that’s okay.) In your journal copy the personal mission statement that you created on the previous worksheet. Then in your own words, using the previous mission statement as a guide, write a poem, a line, a song, or even a paragraph that describes what your life is all about. A personal mission statement or focus statement is like a strong tree; it has deep roots and isn’t affected by all the changes around you. It’s growing and changing, but fundamentally, it stays the same.

Now shape it. You have been given a piece of aluminum foil. Shape that aluminum foil into something that represents your focus. Then, share with the class what you’ve created, what you’re focused on, and why you’re focused on it. You might hang this in a prominent place or in your locker to remind you of the direction you are heading. Just Foil Around

Photo by: K.J. Watson – Rocky Mountains Consider This Change is inevitable; it’s direction that counts. Gil Atkinson