Why You Should Focus On The Long Game

Every day we are faced with a decision: What to do?

That decision can be made much easier when you are Focused on your Long Game.

When you know where you are going you can make conscientious decisions that impact YOUR plans and YOUR goals. This is not to say you won’t help others. However, it does say you should focus on things that will help you achieve your long term goals.

The Reality is … You Can’t Do Everything

You get to decide how and where you will spend your time, your energy and and your efforts. You get to decide how you will react and respond. And you will need to practice up on Improving Your Ability to Say No.

Every day we are required to decide what we will react to. Sometimes we get to decide when we react. Other times those decisions are made for us. Either by circumstances or context. Where circumstances might include reacting to something in real-time and context might be related to the role we are playing at the time. Regardless, you get to decide when, where and how you react and respond. Knowing how this fits into your long game is critical.

Ultimately We Get To Decide

As I have mentioned on other posts there are times where you may have committed to be a part of something bigger, perhaps as a member of the armed forces or another team that takes precedence over your time. However, usually you have made the decision to sign up for these roles and are beholden to uphold the commitments of the organization. This is not a judgment. It’s a decision you’ve made. You have made them part of your goals. Perhaps not long term and long game focused, but they are a commitment and rightfully so you need to abide.

Choosing Your Focus

Every day when we wake up we can focus on the things that are important. You get to decide what important means. It’s easy to think that what is important is that which is right in front of you. However, you are selling yourself short if you only focus on what’s in front of you and ignore the long game.

The Long Game

When you focus on the bigger picture you will be able to Stand Out in your Career. You will be able to see the forest AND the trees. You will be able to know, instinctively know, what the right decision is and when to take action. There is no wrong way to determine your Long Game. However, when you do your authenticity within your community and with the people you work with will grow and will begin to precede you.

However, there is a book you can use to help you think about it a bit more Essentially. The book is called Essentialism by Greg McKeown. Chapter 1 is available for free. I highly recommend the whole book, but if you only have time to read Chapter 1 … focus on Page 6. Page 6 has a specific graphic that resonates with me. As an engineer I think in terms of vectors. Vectors have magnitude and direction. When you align your Long Game as a Vector it’s easy to see which decisions need to be made and when.

Think of Your Long Game like a Vector

Every Day Distractions are like a bunch of different vectors … pulling at you … pointing you in different directions.

It’s up to you to decide what your Long Game is going to be.

It’s up to you to manage the distractions and determine which align with your Primary Vector. Which represents your Long Game.

Every Day We Have a Decision to Make

Things will continue to come at us from all directions. You are faced with the same decision every day.

What to do?

The goal is to get to the next day at least one step ahead of the last.

Will you get to your next day … one step ahead? If you start to think about and Focus on Your Long Game you will.

So, What’s your Long Game?

Drop a note in the comments and share your thoughts with the group, will you?