“Fight Against Stupidity And
Bureaucracy”
Today’s
blog is about focus and stress. Because focus, and the lack thereof, along with
the lack of a little common sense, is the cause of many problems in today’s
world, including a great deal of needless stress.
I’ll start
off with a short conversation that helps to illustrate my point regarding focus
in, I hope, an amusing way. And of course this blog being what it is, this
conversation is one between two idiots. I actually overheard this one myself
and I walked away from it feeling - I’m not sure how to describe it really - not
quite stunned, but amazed? Yes, that’s it, amazed by what I’d heard.
Here it is,
Idiot 1: “Did
you see the bit in the local paper where they found a 34 year old man dead in
an alleyway near the football ground?”
Idiot 2: “No, I
don’t get the paper. Will he be all right?”
Idiot 1: “They
took him away in an ambulance, but he was dead.”
Idiot 2: “Oh,
sounds bad. Where did it happen?”
Idiot 1: “In an
alleyway.”
Idiot 2: “What
age was he?”
Idiot 1: “I
dunno.”
Now this
went on for a while, longer than I could stick around and listen to it. And
sadly it’s fairly typical of the level of conversation a lot of the time.
What
exactly is the reason for things like this?
Is it
because it is now beyond the ability of these people to process the information
they hear? (Even, as in this example, the information that they themselves
say!)
I used to
think so, but now I put it down to the fact that they just don’t listen (even
to themselves) and that their attention span can be measured in nano-seconds.
The ability
to focus, particularly in the task at hand is a great gift. It is most
definitely not the same thing as being smart or stupid. Everyone is not born
with the ability to focus, it can be learned.
But it is the
corner stone of everyone who is successful in their careers, whether that is as
an entrepreneur, or in showbusiness, or medicine, or carpentry, or having a
decent family life with lots of quality time. Without focus you’re all over the
place, and find you haven’t time to enjoy anything.
I like to
watch the auditions part of American Idol and The X-Factor and shows like that.
Sometimes you want to hide behind the sofa it’s so bad, but most of the time it
is both amusing and amazing. Amusing because of the utter and complete lack of
natural talent that some of these hopefuls have, and amazing because they have
no clue as to just how unsuited they are for a career in showbusiness.
As I said
in the list above, showbusiness is just one of a multitude of careers in which
focus is essential. Absolutely not one of the top artists in showbusiness has
got there, and more importantly stayed there (I’m not talking about
one-hit-wonders), on the strength of their talent alone. Their sustained
success has included good management and natural talent, of course. But without
that added factor of being focused on their job they would soon disappear into
oblivion. For example, remember..er…you know the guy who… me neither!
It takes
focus to be successful in the big things in life. And it takes focus to do the
simple things too, like write a blog, or read one (thanks, by the way, much
appreciated), or even as in the example above, to hold a sensible conversation.
A guy
called David Allen (I don’t know which one) said that "Much of the stress that people feel doesn't come from having too
much to do. It comes from not finishing what they started." And not
finishing what they started is the result of not being able to focus on the job
at hand.
Hmmm, I’ve
gone off on a bit of rant again. Sorry, but that’s how I see it.
Have you
had similar experiences? Send them along. Let the world know what is happening
before it is too late.
20 Worst American Idol Moments
Probably two of the most obnoxious people in Britain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pyfFoQLlHvM
And finally, if you are going to audition, take your best friend along
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rrNbLBS1D2Q
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