Blog Post Cover - Gazelle-like focus imprint over actual gazelle

In Financial Peace University, Dave Ramsey advocates “gazelle-like focus” when it comes to eliminating debt. In short, his explanation is that when being chased by a lion, a gazelle has only focus: getting away to survive. At that moment, he isn’t worried about his next meal, how thirsty he is, or where the rest of the herd is. All of that can wait.

His only focus is survival. Escape the jaws of the lion.

Ramsey argues that this is the only way you will escape debt. The lion (debt) is looking to consume you. Through gazelle-like focus (and his easy-to-follow-not-easy-to-do steps) you can be free from the snare of debt.

The same truth applies to any area of life. Want to grow your business? Practice gazelle-like focus. Want to be a better spouse or parent? Sharpen your attention on those moments when they are presented to you. Need to lose weight? Don’t make it a side attraction in your life, give it center stage.

Here are three tips to help you with that intense level focus.

Eliminating Distraction

One of the main things I help my clients with is the elimination of distractions. There’s a reason my tagline is, “Helping Leaders Get The Right Things Done.”

Why?

Because it’s easy to have vision creep.

A shrinking bottom line (hello pandemic business owners) can cause us to focus on that, instead of completing our mission, serving our customers, and building our employees.

When given the choice between focusing on your shrinking profit margins or your customer service, always choose your customer service.

Focus On The Next Thing

In his book, No Hero, author Mark Owen talks about his time as a Navy SEAL. One of the tactics he used to survive the brutal training was to focus on the next task in front of him.

Marcus Luttrell (another Navy SEAL) echoes this idea in his book Lone Survivor.

The premise is simple: if you focus on something in the distant future, you’ll never make it through SEAL training. You can’t focus on the graduation of the program, your first deployment, and in many cases, even the end of the current day. Blog Post Cover - Gazelle-like focus imprint over actual gazelle

What you focus on is the next pushup. You focus on making it to the next meal.  You control, as Owen talks about later, on controlling your three-foot circle. If you can’t touch it right here, right now, it’s not worthy of your attention.

Focusing on anything else leads to despair, frustration, fear, anxiety, and a sense of dread. None of those things serve a gazelle well when inches from a lion. 

Eliminate all of those things and focus on the next step.

Only then can you make any substantial progress on your goals, whatever they are.

Not “One Day” but “Day One”

This one is for all of those that made New Year’s Resolutions, then realized it was Friday and told themselves, “I’ll start on Monday.”

Do you want to reach your wildest goals? Don’t wait to start ‘one day.’

Instead, start today, with ‘day one.’

If the gazelle thinks, “Boy, that lion sure is getting close. Eh. I’ll start running in a few seconds.” It’s too late. Instead, as soon as the gazelle notices the danger, it springs up and takes action.

If you wait to start pursuing your goals “one day” you will end up miserable. You will never reach your full potential. Instead, all you’ll discover is a life of regret and failure.

Take Action

With the first Monday of the new year, many of us are returning to a life of normalcy. Work reopens. Kids are in school. Old routines are back again as the alarm clock reminds us to get up and invest our energy into productivity.

I hope you had a fantastic holiday season and experienced rest, joy, and peace in the midst of the pandemic and all that it has changed.

Now, it’s time to chase your dreams with every ounce of energy you have today. Don’t start one day, but today, with day one.

Next, keep your focus on the next task and do it with excellence.

Finally, eliminate distraction and mission creep.

That’s a gazelle-like focus. And that’s where success lies.

 

 

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Podcast Cover - Episode 15 with Dr. Thor

Episode 15 – Interview with Dr. Thor

Welcome to the Leaderquest Podcast. This season will consist of interviews conducted for the Building With Purpose Conference I held back in May. This is Episode 15 – Interview with Dr. Thor.

If you failed to register for the full course, stay tuned for the rest of season two! I’ve got interviews coming up with each of the contributors. You’ll be able to glean wisdom from them and apply them in ways to grow yourself and your business. Podcast Cover - Episode 15 with Dr. Thor

For the conference, I assembled a diverse team of business professionals to examine the stay at home order and how we can achieve maximum productivity and success while in quarantine. The original conference was designed on the front of a newly issued stay-at-home order. Now, four months later, it seems all the more timely as the economy is looking to reopen.

This is Episode 15 – Interview with Dr. Thor. 

My Interview with Dr. Scott Thor

In this episode, I’m having a conversation with Dr. Scott Thor. He is a personal finance coach, helping individuals get out of debt and transform their lives through smart money management. He brings decades of experience as a coach and consultant in both the private practice and business coaching as a Lean Six Sigma black belt.

Be sure to subscribe, leave a comment, and share with someone who could benefit. 

What’s one takeaway you have from  Episode 15 and my interview with Dr. Thor from the Building With Purpose Conference? How will you take control of your financial planning?

I’m amazed at the knowledge he brings to the table. In the midst of COVID, many of us are struggling financially. This episode was originally recorded before the first stimulus checks and is rereleased here, as the government is now debating a second round. Many of us need help effectively using our money. 

Want more leadership tips? Be sure to check out the blog or #NextSteps Coaching on YouTube.

Building With Purpose Online Conference

The amount of good we can do is multiplied when we aren’t burdened by debt.

This was one big takeaway from me from Scott Thor on his presentation during the Building With Purpose Conference.

Building With Purpose

This excerpt is a part of the FREE online conference I’m hosting called Building With Purpose. This course will help you pivot during this time of social distancing and working from home.

For many of us, it’s a new experience. These experts will help you gain clarity and momentum and experience success.

To sign up for the conference, go here.

Registration is completely free and is currently open.

Building With Purpose Online ConferenceIn this conference, we hear from leading experts in:

  • Coaching
  • Business Consulting
  • Human Resources
  • Finance
  • Digital Marketing
  • And more

If you’re interested in starting or growing a business or even just wondering how to maximize your time and what to do next, enroll in the free conference.

To follow up, I’m offering all attendees a complimentary session.

To redeem your session, go here.

Burdened By Debt

Most of America is burdened by debt. The recent stay-at-home order and the dramatic rise in closed businesses have only magnified that. Many of us are now wondering what’s next and how to proceed. Scott gives us great insight, and here are three of my own personal takeaways.

1.) We have the ability to do more good when we aren’t burdened by debt.

When we actually know how much of our money goes to repaying debt each month, it’s usually appalling. Most of us, as Scott says, “make too much to be this broke.” By getting out of debt, we have time to do more of the good things in the world we actually enjoy.

2.) We must find joy in things outside of money.

Scott shares a powerful story about getting out of debt. It was good…for a while. Eventually, that too wears off. We must find our significance in the people and relationships that matter most to us.

3.) Simple steps lead to big breakthroughs.

As a Dave Ramsey financial coach, Scott walks his people through the “baby steps” process. These simple yet powerful steps lead to a life that is no longer burdened by debt.