Fuzzy Focus

Focus can be a beautiful strength for a leader, especially as we lead through times of challenge. Today, I invite you into 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 "𝗳𝘂𝘇𝘇𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀."

Challenges have a tendency to narrow our focus. Narrow focus can be extraordinarily helpful in supporting us to buckle down, make decisions, and take action amidst unfavorable circumstances.

When we narrow our focus, we sharpen our perspective of what’s right in front of us in the foremost plane. The background fades away into a blur.

However, when we focus 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙡𝙮 on the challenge that's right in front of us, we might miss the opportunity to witness the surrounding field of view.

𝗙𝘂𝘇𝘇𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱. An object right in front of you begins to blur, its boundaries merging into a broader continuum. That continuum extends far beyond your field of view, and you begin to see that you have the power to frame and reframe your current perspective.

𝗙𝘂𝘇𝘇𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. It allows you to put your challenging moments into a bigger context and a larger landscape. I find this especially powerful when it feels like everything is falling apart and I don’t know what to do.

If you’re navigating a challenge that feels all-consuming, here are 𝟯 𝗳𝘂𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝘂𝘇𝘇𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀.

𝟭. 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲. Take a full breath in and imagine all the leaders throughout the world, or throughout time, who have navigated a similar challenge. Consider those leaders lined up alongside you. 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲.

𝟮. 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. Go outside and look as far into the distance as you can. Notice that there is an edge and a limit to what you can see in your current physical environment. Then, imagine a place, beyond that edge, that you know exists. (This could be another room, another city, another country, etc.) 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

𝟯. 𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. Close your eyes and visualize yourself ten years in the future on the other side of your present challenge. Future You knows the lessons that came from living through this challenge. Future You has awareness of how this challenge forwarded what came next. 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵.

If you’re fiercely focused on a present challenge, allow yourself to step back and take in the whole field. More awaits on the other side of the edge.