How to Lead in a World of Distraction
by Clay Scroggins
– This world is full of distractions and all these distractions are costing you way more than you realize.
1. The opportunity cost of the unknown. Benefits you miss out on. Opportunity lost for every one of your distractions.
2. The lack of traction caused by the distraction. Our distractions are pulling you away from and keeping you from gaining traction in your life.
3. The failure to live your best life. Distractions stop you from living your best life right now.
– It starts by leading yourself. You can limit your distractions.
– Distractions make us promises and take our mind off of what we are currently doing.
– Distractions aren’t necessarily bad but get us off focused.
– Being a better you requires that you turn down your distractions.
– Here are three ways to turn down distractions:
1. Name your noise — TV, Facebook, email, etc. You can’t turn down what you don’t realize is distracting you.
2. Experiment with your noise — observe and know yourself well enough to know what to remove or go without. What would you say and what would others say is a distraction to you? Could you go a week by not doing it? Try.
3. Listen to what is there — self evaluate. Do you have the power to say no to something?
– If you can turn down the distractions, you can begin to envision what your future self will look like.
– If you’re not careful, you will let the external distractions of success affect the internal work that will lead you to growth.
– Don’t spend your life peacocking for others or the years will go by and you will have nothing to show for it.
– Some of the most successful people schedule times for nothing more than thinking.
– A good leader knows three things that help him simplify his life:
1. Where he came from
2. Where he is going
3. How he is going to get there
– What is urgent is usually important and what is important is usually urgent.
– Simplicity boils down to knowing why you are doing what you are doing.
– Simplicity brings clarity.
– Not only do we have to know why we do what we do but also the way to get there… and the way is through self-talk.
– You have to clear the voices to hear the right self talk, clear away all the noise. Create openings for positive talk.
– Write your list of things to do the night before and you’ll take care of many problems.
– Decide to not check email or social media before finishing something.
– Solitude scares most people but it’s a practice that can really help.
– Truly being silent means shutting off the negative talk.
– Using a screen for silent time can be counterproductive.
– Learn to hit pause in life. A few ways to hit pause are:
1. Sabbath (rest, silent time… put it into your daily or weekly schedule)
2. Fasting (from food, social media, etc.)
3. Sabbatical (set aside time from work and daily routines. Taking a step back from all would do us good).
– You can willfully choose who and what controls you, but you have to decide to turn distractions down or off.
– If you never learn to turn down the distractions in your life, you will never learn the key lessons in life.
– You’ll never be able to hear from God without turning down the noise.