"Why Your SHARP FOCUS towards Your Goal Matters More than Your Hard Work"
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Now that my Mid-Semester Exams are over, and I have some time to FOCUS on the things that I like, I was sitting one day and thinking about WHAT TOPIC SHOULD I WRITE A BLOG ON. While sitting and pondering, I was unable to find any idea. Thus, I decided to let it be an INTRUSIVE THING that comes to me, rather than me sitting actively to MAKE UP SOMETHING on which I can write and express my thoughts. 

The other day, I decided to bring some order to my life by cleaning and organizing my workflow systems — from cleaning my study table to removing unwanted files on my Laptop and organizing my Notes, and Work. While doing so, I realized that there were so many things that I DIDN’T EVEN WANT, yet they somehow crept in and became an unwanted part of my system — acting as an extra dead weight that I was carrying without even realizing — until now that I introspected on it and eliminated them— and voila — here comes the idea!

What happened to me is the reason I am writing this blog-

WHILE YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING, THERE ARE HIGH PROBABLE CHANCES THAT YOU MIGHT BE OFF-TRACK FOR SOME SMALL TIME, AND WHEN RE-ALIGNED, YOU WOULD HAVE A PART OF THE THING THAT YOU DON’T NEED YET, YOU SOMEHOW HOLD ON TO IT. 

So here is the question — WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN, and HOW TO OVERCOME IT?

STARTING FROM THE START
What is the reason you work? I mean, no matter what it is — be it Studies, Job, Internship, Cooking, Dancing, Writing, or for the simplest work — doing Nothing(at the moment )— what is the SOLE REASON for you doing that activity? Why is some EFFORT made to do the ACTIVITY that is being done?

Perhaps, the answer is simple and mostly common — to attain PERFECTION in that work (i.e., become better at it, or some other version of the same answer).

 So having known the WHY for the activity, we come to the second Question — WHAT are you doing for the WHY? Are there any active steps taken? (This is a rhetorical question for if there is a Why, there is always a proper answer for WHAT), but is this WHAT optimized?

WHAT you are doing for your WHY is an action — but is that action making some legitimate PROGRESS? And if yes, have you thought of making it better? 

Is that action FRUITFUL, or is it just something CONSOLING your conscious that you are DOING SOMETHING, while its effect is insignificant?

NOT LINEAR BUT BRANCHED AND OVERLAPPING!
To learn and incorporate something, we put in effort. To validate our efforts and keep a check on its efficacy, we grade our work, and with statistical data attached, we COMPARE with the data of others to make minor changes to it and progress. 

I do not say that a competitive attitude is bad — for most of the time, I feel that one should be COMPETITIVE in everything he/she does, and the aim must be to annihilate everyone and prove themselves. But, there is one thing to be kept in mind — 

NOT EVERYONE IS RUNNING THE SAME RACE THAT YOU ARE RUNNING.

 There might be a case that you both have a small amount of SIMILAR TRACK and COURSE — but remember that NOT EVERYONE AROUND YOU is running the same race as you.

The misunderstanding of this is what leads to DISTRACTION and marks the entry of the UNWANTED LOAD that I was speaking about! Seeing and comparing with the people around you, you are more likely to compare the things that are not done by you. To clear this point, think of it like this —

 Suppose you have a friend doing the same PRIMARY thing as you. But, there is this ONE thing that he likes to do — say, ABC, while, you never felt inclination in doing ABC. Now, that both of you have a Daily Conversation, and that you are aware of him doing ABC, there are likely chances that you too WOULD WANT to do that — although, it doesn’t align with the goals that you are chasing and doing that would be, but a rather distraction and an added hurdle to you. So, you are doing more of ABC, but the other friend did not do the P, Q, R, and S that you are already focusing on!

Thus, you end up in a feedback loop of WORK HARD TO GET GOOD RESULT — SEE RESULTS — WORK HARDER.

Because this ABC crept into your system, your system overwrites the priority for ABC from DON’T CARE to DEFAULT AUTO-PILOT. The load increases, and there is unnecessary work attached to it that is draining your energy, time, and concentration.

STAYING FOCUSED
The above was one of the scenarios which I have even seen many of my friends catch on to as well— and it is all because of “Fear Of Missing Out”

With increased reach to people’s lives, but reduced information about their True Side, FOMO is something that is draining you. Seeing your ‘friend’ win something at XYZ makes you feel that you too should give that a TRY, and this feeling of GIVE IT A TRY(although isn’t bad — as you should try new things out and keep growing), with no plan and doing it for the sake of “not missing out” entangles you into something you did not even prioritize at the first place — and leads to eventual feelings of dissatisfaction and unhappiness.

I do not say that you should not try new things, nor do I demote you from Seeing and Competing with Your Friends in new things-

but before you do, take these 3 Active Steps, and I am sure, they will save you tons of Energy and Time, helping you not Drain yourself in chasing something that doesn’t return the value for the time and energy investment it needs: -

1. Why Do I even want to do X?

2. Did I ever think of Doing X? If YES, why didn’ t I CHASE IT?

3. Can I HIGHLY PRIORITIZE my TIME and ENERGY for X at the present moment?

Just ask yourself these three questions, and then, if the answer is with it, the sky is your Limit — off you Go!

THE CRUX
No matter how Much Hard You work — if your Work, Energy, and Time are not FOCUSED — then all you do is in Vain. Focus on the things that Matter — learn to Prioritize things, and avoid the feeling of FOMO. Make frequent checks to your Systems, and your Work, and there is nothing bad in changing the Systems you follow — for nothing can remain the same forever — and if it does, there are high chances that YOU ARE IGNORANT, and NOT EVOLVING.

Learning new things and skills is surely a good thing, but getting into something purely because of seeing your friends or acquaintances do that is something I would rather not advise. 

You must always know that although it would seem you are running beside each other, you are not running the same race — and if in the same race, you two are different individuals with different Unfair Advantages, drawbacks, and strengths.

It is a fool who overlooks his Drawbacks and sees them as Hindrances-but a wise who Acknowledges them. Because, unless you acknowledge the very fact that there is A DIFFERENCE and there is SOME DRAWBACK, how can you WORK UPON IT to surpass your Limits?!

Will see you again soon-Till then, Keep Learning, Keep Growing!