Why it is so important to hit the mark one task at a time

A thousand thoughts were rushing through my head, hundreds of ideas for a better business, quickly followed by a multitude of reasons why the ideas would fail. My mind continued to converse with itself, though even I checked out a long time ago. So many ideas, all of them competing for my attention, all of them bringing with them dozens of tasks to add to my to-do-list, and what felt like millions of hurdles that would have to be overcome. I closed my eyes hoping it would calm my thoughts, but 2 o’clock in the morning would not bring sleep for me. There was just too much that had to be done, and too many things that I wanted to do.

Yes, that was me, not that long ago. In truth, it is still my Achilles heel and a battle that I have to fight most days to keep at bay. I think that this is a problem that most entrepreneurs have. So many ideas, so little time. We are plagued with the ability to see opportunity in everything, and we are driven by an insatiable desire to fix and improve everything that we see wrong in the world, which just happens to be just about everything. The distraction of so many thoughts, ideas, and problems that need to be solved running through our heads can drive us almost mad.

Finding the calm, making a difference   

I have learned that I can’t change the world if all I do is stare at the problems. I have to focus on the things that I have the power to change right this moment. Unfortunately, what happens to most of us, entrepreneurs, thinkers, and dreamers is that we see 10 steps ahead on the chessboard, but we fail to notice our opponent’s pawn threatening our king right in front of us. Looking at all the possibilities of the next few moves has distracted us from making the right move, right now.

Focus is not about shutting all the other ideas out, but it is about recognizing the time and place for each. In Ecclesiastes 3,  the wise words of Solomon tell us that there is a time and place for everything. In fact, Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that “He (God) has made everything beautiful in its time.” What we must learn to do is focus on the here and now, to see the beauty in the moment.

This focus allows us to produce what needs to be produced right now. There is no greater joy than a hard day’s work with something to show for it. All we can do is the work that is in front of us, at this very moment. So yes, daydream a little, but then file those dreams away for another day and go out and conquer today’s dream.