posted on Thursday, July 23, 2020
Adjusting our Focus
The word, “focus,” has had a huge impact on our world. It is essential in education. We have developed drugs to enhance focus with the belief that it will promote learning and success. Anyone who has worked to improve their athletic performance has pursued the concept of being, “in the zone.” It is a place of hyper-focus where the event seems to slow down and we’re at peak performance. This means that, yes, focusing and directing our attention has a huge impact on our ability to learn and perform at a high level.
For me, the following is a great example of adjusting focus. My wife and I have a pair of binoculars by our window that we use for viewing wildlife near our home. When I look out the window and see something, I grab the binoculars for a better look. Then I hear, “Let me see.” When I hand her the binoculars, she adjusts the focus so she can see. This is a great example of how none of us see the world the same way. We have 5 biological senses and they all have variables that allow the stimuli in the world to enter our brains. This is why we often perceive events in our lives very differently, even when we see, hear, touch, smell, and taste the same things.
It can help a group’s performance to understand this concept. Knowing there will be differences in perception can help us respond to others with a little more empathy. Don’t expect everyone to agree with you (even if you are right ?). When solving differences, it can help to begin by focusing on things that we can agree on. We must fight against focusing all the attention on our differences in order to perform successfully as a group.
My son, stay focused; listen to the wisdom I have gained; give attention to what I have learned about life, so you may be able to make sensible judgments and speak with knowledge.
Proverbs 5:1-2
Challenge
When differences in focus occur, try to find a starting point of agreement. Don’t allow the focus to be on your differences.