Motivation and Focus.

These are two words that are usually part of everybody’s success regime. But these words and approaches can invariably get mixed up and work against you rather than for you.

You see, most people spend so much time thinking about developing and creating emotion that they need to make the time to work out where and how they are going to focus that emotion.

So you have all this energy, emotion and motivation, but where, how and why are you going to apply it?

That is the crucial question.

In my experience, the best results always come from a two-pronged attack towards a predetermined outcome or goal.

Motivation (manufactured emotion)

Focus (directed thought)

The reality is, however, that most people spend way too much time worrying about point one.

I don’t know how often I have been asked to come and talk to teams and groups just before the year’s penultimate event.

Why?

Does the team truly need someone to come in and stir emotion just before the big game?

If the answer is ‘yes’ and I mean genuinely ‘yes’, not just the coach’s or leader’s perception, I would be surprised.

There may be other emotions that are being generated at this time. Emotions that will only be made worse by a big ra-ra speech or presentation. These include emotions such as anxiety, doubt, fear of failure etc. (and dealing with those emotions is a totally different process and an excellent discussion for another time).

History and experience continue to show us that it is scarce for someone to need external help in raising levels of excitement, motivation and desire just before they are about to be involved in an event they have worked countless hours and perhaps even years towards.

So increasing emotion isn’t usually the problem; directing that emotion to where it will be best utilised is the real challenge.

Much of my professional time is spent working with individuals, teams and business organisations on the most effective methods of directing emotion into execution.

The level of arousal is where it needs to be, but where is the best focus for that emotion? Where can we best utilise that emotion so that it is used efficiently and effectively and we don’t waste a single spec of emotion, arousal or energy?

You are probably waiting for me to tell you the best way to utilise this emotion. What is the best place to direct it? What will get you the best result from the motivation you have mustered?

I could try, but the reality is, I would only be guessing.

Guessing for the best way for you. Because everyone is different, each individual, every particular situation requires a different approach.

For some, it would be emotion in to the execution of the game plan, whilst for others, it would be in removing distractions that will cause the game plan from being executed. Then again, others would direct their emotion into negating what the opposition would be doing.

So as we advance, my advice would be to know yourself, know how to generate emotion from within and then know exactly where to direct that emotion and thought so that the result is attained and …

The Journey Continues!