Focus On The Main Game

We loyal, long-suffering South Sydney Rabbitohs supporters are hoping that this will be our year. If, however, there's a hiccup and our prayers are not answered, we will be comforted by the fact that winning the 'flag' is not the main game. For most of us, the main game is to live a longer, better life by adding years to life and life to those years.

A friend of mine recently told me his story about being 'on the road' promoting his new book. While waiting for his flights, he decided to check-out the bookshops. He was shocked to find that none of the bookshops at the airports he visited contained copies of his book. The fellow was cheesed-off and expressed his displeasure with the distributor whose job it was to make sure that the book was 'out-there' and available to meet the hoped-for rush. The distributor's response was, 'Tell us what airports you'll be visiting and we'll make sure those bookshops have copies of your book'.

Don't be too tough on the distributor: it's easy to lose sight of the key issue, what is often referred to as the main game. It's a bit like Albert Einstein's words of wisdom. He maintained that solving problems was easy. The challenge, he said, was identifying what the real problem was. We must identify what, specifically, is the main game - and focus on that.

Consider the case of Madam Munch. She was told by her GP that she needed to shed some kilos. And the personal trainer saw it as doing his job to recommend the addition of some new, gut-busting exercises for his client Mr Podge. Then there was Harry who fancied himself in lycra, so he took-up cycling.

Few people would question the importance or value of these events and activities. Often times, however, we can lose sight of why we're actually engaging in them. Achieving and maintaining an acceptable body weight is important, but it's not the be-all and end-all. So, too, being relatively fit. And wanting to be lycra-ble is commendable.

We need, however, to stay focussed on the main game. Losing weight, achieving a level of fitness, and engaging in regular exercise are important steps, so too having copies of the book in particular airports. None of these, alone, necessarily indicate a focus on the key issues.

The good news is that help is at hand to maintain a focus on the main game when the key issue is adding years to your life and life to your years. I refer to them as the 5Fs - Food, Fitness, Friendships, Future, and Finances. And to help you to maintain your focus, I have developed a very simple acronym. The acronym is DIET.

1. When the issue is Food, ask yourself Do I Eat That?
2. When the issue is Fitness, ask yourself Do I Exercise Today?
3. When the issue is Friendships, ask yourself Do I Encourage Them?
4. When the issue is Future, ask yourself Do I Embrace That?
5. When the issue is Finances, ask yourself Do I Engineer That?

Stay focussed on the main game - living a longer, better life. Whatever you're doing needs to be toward that end. As Flora Whittemore said, 'The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live'.

Dr Neil Flanagan is a conference, keynote, and motivational speaker. If you'd like to comment on anything appearing here, and would like a free download of his bestselling book BLINK! The Speed of Life (How to add years to your life and life to your years), just go to http://www.neil.com.au

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