Avoid Taking a Wrong Turn – Head in the direction of your goals

Have you ever taken a wrong turn because you weren’t paying attention? Sometimes, when I get to the roundabout a few miles from my house, I’m distracted with other thoughts and forget which direction I need to go. I have to laugh at myself on those occasions I go around more than once or have to turn around because I wasn’t paying attention.

Then it hit me! Not paying attention to which direction I want to go ahead of time is a great analogy for how I can spend my day. If I don’t have a plan of what I’m going to get done, I can take a wrong turn, get distracted, and waste a lot of time. Without a clear direction that aligns with my goals and priorities, I make very little progress. Has this ever happened to you?

Make a plan

I find that if I make a list the night before, I start my day with a clearer focus, and I get more done. It takes a lot of self-discipline because there are so many projects I could work on. And then there are all the distractions with emails and other interesting headlines on the internet. Don’t forget the household distractions like laundry and cleaning and projects around the house.

I’ve realized that focus is a trait I continually need to work on improving. If I’m intentional, I pick the one or two things that are my top priorities for that day and make a list of the next actions I need to take to make progress on them. In the morning and throughout my day, I will reread my list to make sure I haven’t taken a wrong turn.

How does this relate to positivity? Studies show that having goals and moving forward on them helps us feel in control, provides purpose, and makes us happier. I know I feel a sense of satisfaction and greater self-confidence when I have a productive day. 

Give it a try. What are you going to get done tomorrow? Break it down into the next actions you need to do. Plan it out. Working towards our goals is really about paying attention to the direction we want to go and spending less time going in circles.