Disclosure: I only recommend products/services I would use myself and feel might benefit you as well. This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
As a recovering hyper-achiever, it’s easy for me to start to get stuck in the weeds of how things are going to happen while also thinking about ten different ways they could happen just to be safe. When this occurs, it can be easy for the planning to start to engulf your mental capacity and energy.
One of the main lessons I’ve learned on my entrepreneurial journey, however, is to focus on the “what” and not focus on the “how”. What do I mean by this? I mean that it’s important to focus on your next goal rather than the exact path that you’re going to need to take to achieve that goal.
You may wonder how you can focus on the “what” or navigate your way there when you aren’t focused on “how” you’re going to get there. So let’s dive into why the focus on the “what” is more important than the focus on the “how”.
Eyes on the prize
While we get stuck on the “how” of trying to achieve our “what”, the fact of the matter is that we probably don’t care how we get to our “what”. Our goal is ultimately “what” we are setting out to achieve in order to satisfy some “why” that we have. As long as we achieve our goal that we set out to reach, I think we’d agree that we’re generally open to how we get there.
Now I’m not talking about doing things that achieve the goal “at any cost”. It’s important that we still pursue our dreams and goals in an ethical manner that is authentic and aligned with our values. But assuming that is how we’re approaching our journey, we should be open to how we reach our goals.
If you’re also wondering why I’m so focused on the “what” when I frequently proclaim that it’s so important to enjoy the journey, you should know that this also goes hand-in-hand.
By releasing your energy from “how” something will happen, you open yourself up more to enjoying the journey. By not being so attached to the way that something will happen, you allow yourself to enjoy every step of the way no matter how that comes to be. This allows you to enjoy the process of achieving your goals and not have your identity so tied to actually reaching that goal but rather the entire process.
Activation of the RAS
We’ve talked in a past blog about the Reticular Activating System (RAS) of the brain. As a quick refresher, the RAS is the mechanism of the brain that acts as a filter. So if you start thinking about red Jeeps, you’re likely to start noticing red Jeeps far more often around you. Those red Jeeps were always there, but because you adjusted the filter of your brain to focus on them, you now notice them.
By focusing on the “what”, you activate your RAS to start filtering for things that will help you achieve this goal. Your brain starts to pick out a whole host of options that may help you on your journey to achieving your goal.
However, when you focus on the “how,” you start to narrow down the filters in your brain, closing you off to the vast amount of options available to you. By focusing too much and being too rigid on how you think you need to achieve your goal, you only focus on those very specific things and miss all the other opportunities around you that may be better than you could’ve imagined!
A greater plan
We are human. We are not omniscient or omnipotent. Only God is.
By trying to exercise too much control over how we get from point A to point B in each part of our life, we may be trying to overpower the greater plan that God has for us. By opening up to all the possibilities around us, we open ourselves up to God’s will.
Of course, God is God so He will always get us where we are meant to be. But I’m a firm believer that if we just open ourselves up from the beginning, the process, however difficult it may be, will be filled with so much more joy and ease.
If you start to open eyes to it, you’ll likely be in awe of the amount of times He’s given you a “how” that you would’ve never imagined but that was better than your plan.
Are you saying I should just wing it?
Your main objection after reading this may be that you can’t just go through life winging it. You can’t just think of a goal and wait for it to happen. I absolutely agree with that!
You’re not going to achieve your goals without taking the action in the direction of achieving those goals. When working towards personal or business goals, it is important to start taking steps and have general framework in which you’re going to work towards achieving those goals.
But the key lesson here is to not be too rigid in navigating that path and to open yourself up to a whole host of possibilities.
Need someone to help you stay focused on your “what” and your passion, let’s chat about how my coaching and copywriting can help accomplish that! Book a free discovery session using the button below!
Disclosure: I only recommend products/services I would use myself and feel might benefit you as well. This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Disclaimer: This blog should not be construed as providing, or intending to provide, professional financial, legal, psychological, or other professional advice. It is simply meant to share my experiences for those that may find them relatable and helpful.