Quotes about Focus

There's never any cumulative value to all the things we do instead of the things we know are truly important.

Make today's decisions in light of tomorrow's hopes and dreams. The future is what brings today's choices into proper focus. Making choices with the end in mind goes a long way toward ensuring a happy ending.

I once heard John Maxwell say, "You are most valuable where you add the most value." It is vital to the health and success of our organizations that we as leaders discover that task, that narrow arena of responsibility where we add the most value. And once we find it, it's even more vital that we stay there.

If anything has kept me on track all these years, it's being skewered to this principle of central focus. There are many things I can do, but I have to narrow it down to the one thing I must do. The secret of concentration is elimination. (emphasis added) As you evaluate your current leadership environment and responsibilities, what do you see that needs to be eliminated? What needs to be delegated? What would it "not be right" for you to continue doing?

A sixty-hour workweek will not compensate for a poorly delivered sermon. People don't show up on Sunday morning because I am a good pastor (leader, shepherd, counselor). Ironically, my pastoring skills have almost nothing to do with my success as a pastor! In my world, it is my communication skills that make the difference. So that is where I focus my time.

What is the one thing I want my audience to know? •   What do I want them to do about it?

It's been my experience that great leaders, in spite of a multitude of distractions, know how to keep things focused. They know how to inspire and motivate their followers to keep pushing "the main chance." They don't let side issues overwhelm them.17

Narrow the Focus. By that I mean you shouldn't try to do everything; you should do a few things well.

Don't be so concerned about keeping the folks you've got, that you neglect the folks you're trying to reach.

We don't drift in good directions. We discipline and prioritize ourselves there.

When a church is spending more of its budget on media than shepherding, something is out of whack. We have gotten things twisted around.

Whatever I engage in, I must push inordinately.