How to Use Small Circles to Create Focus
“The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Dan Millman
Create focus when facing challenges:
#1. Draw a big circle.
Inside the circle, list all the challenges you face, every one that comes to mind. Don’t leave one concern outside the circle. Take all the time you need. If you’re circle isn’t big enough, draw a bigger circle and use smaller letters.
#2. List related issues.
Study the contents of your big circle. What challenges are related to each other? On a clean sheet of paper, group related challenges together. Cross out items in the big circle when you move them to a list of related challenges.
When you complete a list of related items, circle it. Now create the next list of related items. Continue until all the items are crossed out in the big circle and all related challenges are in their own smaller circle.
#3. Reflect.
Circle the most important item in each small circle.
#4. Narrow focus.
Choose one item in one circle to do something about. Write a behavior-based action you will take today to make progress with that challenge. What will you do?
“Today, I will (behavior) in order to make progress on (challenge).
#5. Record progress.
At the end of the day record your progress.
#6. Narrow again.
At the end of the day, look over your small circles and write down the one challenge you will take up tomorrow.
Write your behavior sentence.
#7. Repeat this exercise once a day.
Use circles when solving problems:
There’s a difference between problems and challenges. Make a list of all the problems you face. Use the above exercise to narrow your approach.
Create focus by working in small circles.
How do you narrow focus?
More:
How the Power of Focus Protects You – Leadership Freak
20 Useful Ways to Create Focus Today
How to Focus: 7 Useful Tips That Can Help
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People from all over the world gathered on 10/19/2023 to participate in the first ever Leadership Freak fireside chat. Click here if you missed it.
Narrow by my taking a reflection – On your life, your families life, your friends and where you work.
Then narrow that down, as the author prescribes, to the most essential things to focus your energy on.
Mostly you’ll find it isn’t self gratification, it isn’t ego, it relates to your own family, your partner, your children – the legacy you will actually leave behind.
Once you do this your decisions about priority, focus, important change.
It happens to me all the time. It will happen to you.
Apologies for the typing. Should have checked better before submitting
Now worries, Robert.
Thanks for your reflection, Robert. Narrowing focus is an important and neglected skill. With too much to do and too little time to do it in, we feel like we don’t have time to narrow focus.
It’s hard to figure out what you aren’t going to do today.
Wow, this is such a simple process. Very direct and easy steps to follow. Anything we can do to hlep us focus in on what’s important is a valuable tool. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you found it useful, Tim. It should apply in a few situations.
“There’s a difference between problems and challenges. ” Could you please elaborate, Dan? This search didn’t help [challenge vs problem site:leadershipfreak.blog]
Thanks for asking, Robert. A challenge doesn’t have to be a problem. Think of the challenge of taking on new responsibilities at work. Problems fall into the category of mistakes. Challenges fall into the category of opportunities.
Some folks use the terms interchangeably.
Do the sentences feel different to listeners?
Say, “We have a problem,” to people. Then say, “We have a challenge.
The other thing is, problems are in the past. Challenges look to the future.