Contrary to popular belief, I don’t have all the answers. I know – you’re shocked, right? Even worse, sometimes I don’t even have enough information to have an opinion. Personally, I can hardly believe that. But here I sit with something I’ve been struggling with for well over a year: focus. 

I’ve heard it said in order to succeed, you need laser-intense focus. You need to pour yourself into whatever it is you are pursuing. Focus and discipline lead to success. But how can you be focused on just one thing? I don’t understand this concept. Most people throughout history who have had such narrow vision are typically eccentric geniuses who are obsessed with what they view as their life purpose. 

For instance, Olympians and accomplished performers have intense focus. The Olympians I knew trained 4-8 hours a day and had to sleep for 10-12 hours. But they still went to college or did other things during that time. So how intense does your focus need to be?

The reason I ask is balance. Is it possible to focus on a spiritual life, your family life, and your career all at once? Is it possible to have a goal in each area that you are working towards? I would like to think so. In fact, if you can’t, then I’m not sure I want the level of success singular-intense focus brings.

On the other hand, I do agree that too many obligations detract from spending enough time in the area of your goals. The art of saying “no” is a critical skill when working towards a vision. Diluting your time and energy will slow down progress towards your goals.

That said, I would love to hear your opinions on a balanced life on the journey towards success. Can you have it? How intense does your focus need to be? Is it one goal at a time, or one goal per area of your life at a time? What do you think?