Written by: Kim Wagner, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
We are surrounded by so many shiny things. The newest idea, gadget or interest. Sometimes on a daily basis we are looking at something new that looks like the best thing ever. It certainly is an exciting time to be alive.
However, there is a downside to all of the shiny, new and exciting. These things might seem exciting however all they do is offer distraction. Distraction from moving forward to achieve our wants, goals and dreams.
Often you hear of people achieving the unimaginable. Wow, how on earth did they achieve that??! I’ll let you in on a little secret to achieving your goals and dreams. It is to remove all distractions and focus solely on the desired end result. Anyone can achieve big goals – it’s just finding ways to remove distractions and focus on the end result.
We’ve all heard the saying ‘what we focus on we achieve’. Truer words have never been spoken.
Right now, it is virtually impossible to keep our minds on one thing at a time and not waiver off to something that is calling for our attention. Now is the time to be ever vigilant with what we allow our precious thoughts and focus to dwell on.
Recently I became the first person in Australia to achieve an incentive trip to Croatia with a health company I am partnered with. This is a huge achievement which I’m very proud of. How did I do it? I decided what I wanted and when I wanted to achieve the goal. And then I removed all distractions until I accomplished it. Let me tell you, it feels great!
When we have a goal that is big, bold and audacious it also takes a big commitment. What is it that you are willing to sacrifice in the short to medium term to achieve that goal? For me, I decided what I wanted and by when, then I did it.
Distractions come our way every day. They can be in our inbox, with our friends/family and also within our business or workplace. It is also something that is evergreen – we need to consistently remove things that sneakily creep into our lives.
I’m not big on formal strategies as I feel stifled in that environment. However, there are some non-negotiables that come with setting a big goal. Most importantly is to take the time to choose something that is important to you. A goal that fits in with your ‘why’ and will be of benefit to you and end desire. If you choose something that is not dear to your heart then it is very easy to find excuses and get distracted.
Unsubscribe to anything that does not fit in your current narrative – or that will entice you to veer off course and fill your life with a new something that will take up valuable time. The offers and mailouts will be there when you have achieved your goal. I’m certainly guilty of getting sucked into something fabulous that was just emailed to me. All that does is water down my focus, take up valuable time and not help me to achieve my current goals. Unsubscribe and delete, it’s the only way to keep it out of our minds.
Remove yourself from groups and activities that are not beneficial to you right now. We all only have 24 hours in the day. If we clog our calendar up with things that are not beneficial, we are wasting valuable productive time and it will take that much longer to achieve our goals. This includes being around people that are not the right fit for you. We are all guilty of spending time with family and friends who really are not on the same page as us, and often we feel really drained. These are big distractions and wherever possible, ensure you are spending your valuable time with your tribe.
Look at all of the things you do regularly. If you are trying to build your business, remove things that are of no value. Spend time on the actions that are income-producing. Remove the fluff - or better yet, delegate to another team member or hire a VA. If you are working towards a goal such as an incentive, specifically delegate certain times during the day for taking action. For me, 5 am is the sweet spot. I’m the only one awake in the house and get at least an hour of uninterrupted time. I am very intentional during this time and always achieve so much.
Ensure you have time put aside to spend with family and loved ones and don’t do any work during this time. As much as being intentional with your business building/goal-achieving time is important, so is spending downtime with the important people in your life. There’s no point in achieving your goals and realizing you’ve left everyone behind and you are alone.
Revisit your goals and tap into your why often. Once we make a committed decision, this is what fuels us to achieve our goals. Sometimes we can forget our end desire and lose our mojo along the way. It’s also easy to then waste time and do things that are not helping us to move forward.
Especially when there are so many other things we could be doing that is way more fun than work!
Having an accountability buddy is an excellent way to help keep on track. When working towards my trip to Croatia, I had an accountability buddy who was the second person in Australia to qualify. We had daily conversations, texts and messages to see how things were going. We were also able to throw random ideas around and find ways to achieve our goal three months earlier than expected.
Do not underestimate having a good accountability buddy as it can propel you forward so much quicker! On a side note, you don’t have to both be working towards the same goal. I have a second accountability buddy in another country regarding my business. We’ve been working together for over two years now and it has been so very helpful to keep me focussed and on track with my personal development.
Focus on just one thing at a time. One of the biggest forms of distraction is the illusion of multitasking. We can only do one thing at a time well. As an example, when I write I ensure there is not one thing that can distract me and disrupt my creative flow. I almost always write at 5 am. There is nobody else awake, I have a dedicated writing area and ensure that my phone is turned off as well as any programs that may give alerts on my laptop. To finish the perfect scenario, I listen to very specific music using headphones to eliminate any noise. This is how I’ve found works best for me.
With absolutely no distractions, I am able to produce my best work and really get into the heart of what I am trying to convey.
Whilst cutting out all distractions in our daily life is not possible, find the things that are most important to your success and see what you can do. I have no doubt at all that things can be done to help you keep focused. If in an office environment, put headphones in and listen to something that can help you to zone out. If at home, find a time and place that you are left alone and then focus for a period of time on what you want to achieve.
In my opinion, if you want something badly enough you will find a way. Every one of us has the same 24 hours in a day. It’s also not a coincidence that the most successful people achieve more in their time. It’s achieved by creating a life of design, which is something we can all do in certain pockets of our day.
Removing distractions is a muscle that we all need to build. Sometimes it can be really tricky, but by placing some boundaries in place it does get easier over time.
Kim Wagner, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kim is a PSYCH-K® Facilitator, PER-K® Catalyst, Reiki Master, Intuitive Healer, Author, Speaker, and Educator.
After losing her mother to cancer whilst pregnant with her second child, Kim started to research and train in the field of belief systems and trauma. The learnings and results have been astounding.
Kim helps people to transform their lives. Her expertise is to heal trauma, replace negative and limiting belief systems and change the perception of stress.
With a corporate background, Kim's unique ability to help clients allows her to transform lives across the globe.
Kim is co-author of Upself Guidebook and an article contributor for multiple publications.
