The Main Thing - Keep The Main Thing

One of the obvious points to this title that can cause problems is the simple idea that to begin with, you actually need to recognize or know what the main thing is. The title is about keeping focused on the main thing and not being distracted by all the other (non-main) things going on around you. What specifically are you trying to achieve? In other words, to keep the main thing the main thing, you actually need to identify the main thing. That is sometimes harder than it seems. The reason it can be difficult to focus on the main thing is that your “main thing” may be different from someone else’s.

Why is focus important?

Focus means putting your attention on something. The other side of this is that it requires you to take your attention off of something else. In other words, to create time to focus on the main thing, we must take the time away from our less important, distracting things.

First, you have to determine what is “the main thing” in your life. It may change depending on your role or what you are doing. At work, it’s probably different than at home. Different as a Dad than as a Husband (or Mom vs Wife).

Where can you apply this in your life?

But how do you define what is important in your life? How many different roles do you play in your life? Grab some paper and start with the categories of activities. Work, home, temple, friends, activities, hobbies, family, and whatever else you can think of as broad categories. Now, select one of the categories and come up with the different roles you play within that category. The main thing for this exercise wasn’t to determine with absolute certainty and for all eternity, what the main things were for every possible situation. The idea was to get you thinking about how fluid some of these main things can be, as roles change throughout the day. And, of course, to help you keep your focus on the main thing.

In this regard, I am able to remember one quote: " If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will."

So, What did your list of main things end up looking like? Did you find that some roles have more than one, depending on the situation? Will you be willing to take the time to select a different aspect of your life and try the exercise again? I hope you will, as I have found that the journey of self-investigation is always an interesting one. Find happiness with your success and share this spirit with someone you care about. Find a time and spend it on something or with someone important to you. Find appreciation and remind someone of how grateful you are for them. Make a difference in all things important.

Good Luck.