Merriam-Webster defines focus as ‘to direct your attention or effort at something specific.’

Such a simple definition, yet so difficult to practice. I guess all great habits have a price to them and the price is sacrifice. I want you to read one word again, but this time very slowly, spend time on it, and absorb it- ‘sacrifice.’ You got to sacrifice that ‘ping’ on your what’s app, that random friend chat with your not so close Facebook friend, the temptation to look around and see the guy/girl who just passed by you at the café where you are trying to work on an important project. You got to sacrifice that junk meal, that TV show, that extra sleep, that wasted conversation, and those useless spends.

To build, while you sacrifice all the sweet pains, you got to enhanceyour focus; focus on getting-up early, exercising, eating right, planning, journaling, working hard, smiling, not bothering with what others are doing. You got to pay attention to your life and your dreams. I will be the first one to agree folks that it’s damn painful. It is just so tough to say a ‘no’ to that friend, to not look at your phone every time it beeps or vibrates, to get-up early and push yourself out of bed. But I will also be the first one to confess that once you do go through that temporary pain and focus on building all the great habits, developing and cultivating them, all your efforts start paying-off. Your life rewards you with great health, high energy, outstanding work, loving relationships and even before you notice, you would have built an extraordinary legacy to leave behind; but it all starts with focus.

As you accumulate your thoughts, I would like to leave you with a quote from the Scottish-born scientist and inventor, Alexander Graham Bell to hit home the importance of focusing on the right things in life. Here is what the legend once said:

“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”