Last weekend I had an amazing experience at a training event held by Joel Bauer called “Passion2Profit”. During that Saturday and Sunday over one hundred and fifty of us learned how to identify what we were truly passionate about. I gained insight about how my many skills and goals all tied together that I never had before. I will be sharing many of those insights over the coming weeks but the first “can’t wait” insight is one that has come up time and again with me, my clients, and my friends.

Why was I able to gain new insight in a few days? You might think it was due to Joel Bauer’s influence. I believe that in part, it was. But just as important – for two days I was focused on discovering what my inner beliefs and values truly were and how to communicate them to the world. I was completely involved and “present” at that event. There was no time for multi-tasking. I was not responding to email. I was not returning phone calls. I didn’t watch 30 seconds of TV. I was focused on a specific goal and so were those around me.

The result – I got more clarity about who I am, how I can help others, and what I need to do in one weekend than I have in six months.

What does this mean to you? I believe that if you want to get the most out of what you are doing you need to focus on that one thing. Multi-tasking is a dangerous illusion. It masquerades as productivity while it is a drains your attention, your purpose, and your ability to contribute like a vampire. Did you know that organizations like Xerox even have a name for the overload that our brain has when we multi-task. They call it IOS or Information Overload Syndrome. Here’s a funny but insightful video that may remind you of some people you know. (Hopefully not yourself.)

Plan your day and focus on what you are doing. You’ll be happier and more productive.

Wishing you the best,

Jim
“We can’t all be lucky, but we can all be successful!”