Over the next few posts, I thought we might muse on accomplishing those things that really matter to us. There is so much possible distraction in our days. From the challenges we face globally, to family and work pressures, life seems tailored for interruption and disruption.

How do I move forward with what really matters in a world that beckons me so many directions?

Well, in a word, FOCUS is critical.

This is more than creating a good "to-do" list–although that is also important. Consider the words of George Bernard Shaw:

"Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will."

Focus does not begin with a to-do list but with a brave imagination. Accomplishment begins in the incubator of imagination. If you desire to move through your day with purpose and grace, first imagine it. See yourself remaining focused and meeting the important details of your day with determination and flexibility. Then, move that picture of yourself into the concrete world. Remember, the picture is bound to change in the concrete world. We have no way of anticipating in our imaginations the distractions that will come. However, we can see ourselves focused on the right things as they surface in our day.

The question then becomes, "When the interruption comes, how do I know if I should pay attention to it or let it go? Part of the answer is in Shaw’s quote. More on this in the next post.