Monday Motivation - Focus

Focus is defined as "a center of activity, attraction, or attention and a point of concentration," according to Merriam Webster Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/focus

When the topic of focus came to mind for today's post, I thought about how many distractions can happen throughout the day and how many things you can allow to take you away from being productive in your life, and it made me think about what the solution is to rid distractions, and it is focus. As a person who has accomplished quite a few things throughout my life, I realized the way I was able to complete anything was to see my end goal, and stay focused on the reason I needed to complete the process it took to achieve that goal. For example, years ago I made a decision to become a cosmetologist and I worked, went to school full time, and was married at 18, with no children. It was hard for me to receive much for financial aid, because I had a husband at the time, and by the summer of 1997 I was working 2 jobs and in school full time. Needless to say, I was experiencing burn out, so instead of complaining, I decided to join the Army Reserves to obtain money finish school and be in the career of my choice, but first I would be required to complete Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT). Anyone who is in the military or former military understands that this process is not as easy as it might sound. I had long days, early mornings, and drill sergeants yelling and giving orders or commands. Some days I got tired, but I was able to get through the rough days, because I had a goal and I wanted to protect and serve, but I also wanted to fund my education. When I put my mind to it and decided I am going to finish this process, I was able to not let it break me mentally, physically or emotionally, because I stayed focuesed on the goal. I was able to complete basic training and AIT, and then I came back home to drill each month. Of course, life through me curve balls, my marriage was shaky, I got pregnant and lost my baby at 8 weeks during my marriage and I was only 19 by then, it was discouraging and distracting from my goal. I started working again, because we needed the money and then I realized I did all of that stuff and did not complete my initial goal yet, so I had to re-focus and I went back to cosmetology school and completed my classes and finished school at the end of 1999. I was then given an opportunity to do hair on a military base in Germany and it worked out great for me to take that opportunity, because my personal relationship was not supporting my goals, but because I already was in the Reserves, it was so much easier for me to get on and off base with my ID, and I planned to stay for a few months and come back and get my license in the States. I had an opportunity to stay for a year, but I did not want to leave my marriage in the balance, so I tried to tend to that relationship and continue with my career goals in the States. In 2000, I was licensed in Washington DC, and in 2002 I was able to receive reciprocity in Maryland and later in Pennsylvania, as I moved for personal reasons. The point of my story is to stay focused on your goal and the process will seem so much easier. And it is so much better to be with someone that supports your goals, because if they do not, you will be distracted by them and could jeopardize you reaching your goals, but when you are supported, you could propel further than you could ever imagine. I could not have accomplished anything if I did not lean on God at some point in my life, and having a code of ethics, or a priority code is key to success. For me, it is God first, family second, and my career third, but sometimes family could be in the way of you fulfilling your destiny, so you have to decide whether they have your best interest at heart. Stay focused and have a great week. Monique Lyn elle Gray