Last week I mentioned how blessed I am to be a part of a group of business owners/consultants that meets informally by conference call each week.

The group has identified discipline as being, by far, the most essential trait necessary to build and sustain a successful business and last week we talked about its importance.

As vital as discipline is to success, there are other traits (find synonym) equally essential to building successful movements or, in fact, to successfully undergo personal growth and change.

Number two on their list is focus.

Focus is defined as:

noun, plural fo·cus·es, fo·ci [foh-sahy, -kahy] .                                                                              

a central point, as of attraction, attention, or activity: The need to prevent a nuclear war became the focus of all diplomatic efforts.

verb (used with object), fo·cused, fo·cus·ing or (especially British) fo·cussed, fo·cus·sing.

to bring to a focus or into focus; cause to converge on a perceived point: to focus the lens of a camera.to concentrate: to focus one’s thoughts; to focus troop deployment in the east.

verb (used without object), fo·cused, fo·cus·ing or (especially British) fo·cussed, fo·cus·sing.

to be or become focused: My eyes have trouble focusing on distant objects.

to direct one’s attention or efforts: Students must focus in class.

We define focus a little differently. To us, focus means the learned and practiced ability to filter out all the noise of distraction, the worry, the anxiety, the fear, the doubt, the criticism of others, the barriers and obstacles and to concentrate with laser-like precision on one topic for as long as necessary until a task is completed, a problem is solved or a  path forward is clearly identified and all required action is established.

It is the willingness and ability to stay the course and do what you know is necessary to continue moving yourself towards your goals even when all around you, mayhem is reigning supreme.

It is the immutable desire to devote all your attention to all the reasons why you can and why you must and never grant any thoughts of why you can’t and why you shouldn’t access to your mind.

And when you achieve the discipline necessary to maintain your focus, you will become an unstoppable force in the universe.

A long time ago I heard a quote from an unknown author that has stayed with me ever since. “Focus is the chisel that carves our pathway to either greatness or despair.”

Focus is the one F-word we should all strive to master.

Till we read again.