5 Steps To Create Focus In Your Life

Nowadays it seems to be about simplicity all the time. We need to live a more focused life. We need to have less ‘noise’ in our lives. We need to get rid of all the activities and things which lead us away from reaching our goals.

Looking at many people I work and speak with, this is not a matter of choice anymore. They need to lose the interruptions in their lives in order to keep their jobs, pay their mortgages and have at least food on the table.

All this talk about simplicity is not what we need. We don’t need simplicity either.

When I first started to work in my own business, I really was the do-it-all person. I wanted to make a steady income for my family. I wanted to do whatever needed.

You can probably guess the result I got.

Yep, I wasn’t making a lot of money. My mind and activities were too scattered. It was time for something different. I needed to become more focused.

And so I did.

One of the first things was that I focused solely on visual thinking and how this could assist individuals. I always wanted to be there for people, in a personal or a business situation. When you help the business individual, you indirectly help the business.

The results of being more focused?

• I wrote 2 books in one year
• I created two successful online training courses
• I trained many (many) people offline in becoming more productive and balanced
• I was able to enjoy more free time and spend this with my family

All this would never have been possible if I just simplified my life. I needed to focus and master what I was doing and wanted to do.

What has all of this have to do with mind mapping?

Well… at first probably nothing. In the end probably nothing. But in between it has a lot to do with visual mapping, mind mapping and summapping.

Here’s why, and here’s how you can benefit from this immediately.

When I was doing all those things at the same time, my head sometimes ‘exploded’ with thoughts, ideas and information. This was of course not the focus I needed.

What I did was simple (and it only involves 5 simple steps).

1. I took a big sheet of white paper.

I wrote down everything I had in my head (ideas), what I wanted to accomplish (goals) and what I loved to do (passions).

2. I organized the information in such a way that everything in the ‘map’ was located exactly there where it should be. This means my goals and ideas and passions were outlined in several directions. To say this in mindmap words: I created branches with information. Closer to the center means closer to the present. Towards the outside is further into the future.

3. From this I determined which branch could help me in accomplishing what I wanted in life and what could not (the latter is very important to identify).

4. I removed everything except the ‘branch’ or path, as I like to call it, which leads me into my future. This helped me focus.

5. I took ACTION to really get what I wanted.

I had literally removed most of my negative objects out of my life.

From that moment on things became easier. Life was better and clear.

THE RESULT

This is one of the ways I really USE maps in my life AND my business. They work for me (as they should work for you).

A map to me is a tool to get overview in information. It doesn’t matter if this is in studying, project planning or simply getting my priorities straightened out at home.

Do you remember the circle I created to USE maps in the entire process of my activities? Getting more focus is just one of the many real life examples in APPLYING that circle.

It’s a small example for us, yet for many people who are only creating mindmaps to take notes or even grocery lists (…don’t get me started on that) this offers a completely different perspective. The clients I share this with become more productive and remove a lot of mind chatter (or ‘noise’) in their lives.

What will you do with this information?

If you are a person who is already completely focused, you don’t really need this. Your gain from this article is to understand you are focused.

If you feel you lack focus you should use this information… today!

How do you know you are not that focused yet? Hmm, let me see (drawing as well from my own experiences)…

• You don’t really know where you are going today and in life
• You are easily distracted
• You keep reading blog articles which don’t assist you to move forward (just keep on reading my articles)
• You don’t really care or are interested in what you do (lack of motivation)
• You talk a lot, but don’t take action

If you experience one or more of the ‘lack of focus’items from the list above… you need to TAKE ACTION.

I was in the fortunate situation that I was in a Mastermind group. After I created the visual map of myself and my life, I received assistance from one of the other members in the Mastermind.

Here’s what I have for you

Starting Monday May 25, I start a one-time-only training with a select group of individuals who need more focus in their lives.

Yes, this intensive training will be using visualmaps (mainly mindmaps and summaps), of course.  

Since you are still reading this article, I think you may be one of the selected few who can participate in this training. I can’t give you all the details right now. All you need to know is that is the training that will help you become focused.

It will be a training to get you back on track to create the results in your life you want and need.

When you are ready for this, please send me an email (or message via the contact page).

I would like to end this article by giving you food for thought:

“My dreams are worthless, my plans are dust, my goals are impossible.

All are of no value unless they are followed by action.”

- Og Mandino

What is the action you take NOW?

Let your mindmaps work for you!

Arjen

Tags: focus, summap, visual map, your life