There is a famous line from the movie Karate Kid (the 2010 remake) when Mr. Han, the Karate teacher, tells his pupil — who insists he is concentrating intently — that “Your focus needs more focus.” Despite the student’s insistence that he was focused, his level of focus was lacking. It is a problem that possibly everyone grapples with today. With all the diversions and noise that compete for our attention and energy in today’s world, it can be very easy to fall prey to distraction.
Do these scenarios sound familiar? Three people are in a meeting and one or more are repeatedly interrupted by incoming calls or text messages. Two colleagues are speaking by phone and suddenly one person is distracted replying to an email. Outside, a person walks down the street but is so completely immersed reading LinkedIn posts that he is almost hit by a car. Indoors and out, attention is drawn to pinging smart phones, rotating billboards, ticker-tape scrolling news feeds, bus bench ads, flashing neon signs and more, all screaming “Look at me!”. The demands for attention are everywhere.
The truth is that, for most people, their focus does need more focus. The dictionary defines focus as “the concentration of attention or energy on something.” Attention and energy are essential elements of focus. Attention describes how well you can shut out all else in order to give one thing full consideration or thought. Energy relates to how much or how long you can sustain that focus. That begs the question, just how much and how long should a person be able to focus on something without being distracted (by choice or chance)? How deeply and sharply should someone be able to concentrate on one thing without redirecting or quitting? More importantly, what — if anything — can be done to improve focus? And, if everyone is being driven to distraction, just how much is this lack of focus — by employees and customers alike — affecting businesses? Continue reading
