I always had the belief that staying focused is one of the great secrets of successful living.

Comedian Jay Leno says that he went into a McDonalds one day and said, "I'd like some fries." He swears the girl behind the counter asked, "Would you like fries with that?"  Focus!

Focus gives power to our lives. Do we tend to live our lives as wandering generalities or meaningful specifics? A good analogy is that of light. Light is a great thing and it comes in many forms. But lights focus and intensity determines its power. For example, light bulbs have a low level of focus and intensity. The light rays scatter out of the bulb, creating what we call incoherent light.

But take those same scattered light rays and focus them in one direction at a target, and you have a laser, which is infinitely more powerful. Successful people lead lives that are focused like that of a laser. They tend to have a clear understanding of what life is about and what they want from life and also what they can give back to life.

Focused people have a clear idea of where they are headed and are willing to make a significant commitment to staying on course and finishing the journey.

When comedian Jim Carrey was a struggling young actor, he wrote himself a check for ten million dollars and postdated it seven years into the future. That check kept him focused. Even more impressive was the fact that when it came due, he was able to cover it. By staying focused on his goal he achieved great fame and success.

People who are successful and focused, without exception, have a very clear picture in their mind of what they want to achieve with their lives and they focus their energies on that picture. Focus is power!

A word of caution here. Many people focus their lives too narrowly. They focus only on financial success or their own pleasure and they have no time nor inclination to allow for the needs of others. They are successful by the way success is measured in society. But, without exception, these types of people never understand why happiness and fulfillment continues to elude them.

Beware of too narrow a focus. Whatever your focus in life is it needs to be large enough to accommodate a lifetime of growth.

Finding the proper focus is just as critical in life as it is in photography. What good is a photograph that is taken out of focus? What good is a life that is not focused on those we love and on work which is needed in society, makes a contribution and gives us fulfillment?

Reflect on these questions: What do you hope to achieve in your family life, your work life, your spiritual life? How do you want your resume to look? What are those hobbies you'd like to master? What goals would you really like to achieve? What will your life look like a year from now if nothing changes?

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