Diversion vs. Focus - Grasshopper

Do you numb your senses or sharpen your gaze? The answer to that question reveals your future.

When faced with a dangerous situation, an animal will usually fight or take flight, and sometimes just freeze in their tracks. The same is true for humans.

 

When something threatening is on our horizon, we can go into denial and divert our attention to take our mind off the impending reality. Or we can look for, and narrow down, our options as to how to handle said actuality. And sometimes we just freeze.

 

Freezing negates any progress, and diverting our attention just delays inevitable contention.

 

Focus is our friend in times of trouble. It won’t negate what’s outside the gate; it just gives us choices instead of succumbing to a predetermined fate.

 

Taking a substance to calm your nerves is a diversion. For example, I’ve never met a top-shelf whiskey or numbing substance that helps one think more clearly. It’s just a way to delay a plan for what’s coming your way.

 

A gaze sharpening question to ask yourself in times of concern is this: “What are my options?”

 

Options don’t distract; they’re a plan of attack. Options won’t divert what’s about to come into play, they’ll better prepare you for a rainy day.

 

For example, if a major snowstorm is coming your way and you don’t formulate a plan of action, magical thinking and diversion reduce your options to hope and pray and, sadly, you may freeze to death because of the delay.

 

Make sure to add “What are my options?” to your problem-solving bag of tricks. They’ll sharpen your focus and leave less to chance and hocus-pocus.

 

All the best,