Focus on the Destination

My wife, Tiffany, absolutely hates to fly. I don’t mean it’s an inconvenience or an annoyance to her; I am talking about a full blown, has-walked-off-a-plane-moments-before-a-flight-departed, utter disdain for flying. It used to be so bad her anxiety would start building several days, even a week, before a flight.

For years she simply didn’t fly. But as our family grew and kids started hearing about this magical land of beaches and sunshine called “Hawaii”, the pressure mounted for her to get back on a plane. It wasn’t just the kids either; the cold, dark Alaskan winters also added some serious motivation to face her fears and start flying again.

In order to get on that plane headed to Oahu, Tiffany said she forced herself to envision kids playing on the beach and the beautiful ocean and warm sun. She had to look past the flight itself and direct her attention on why she was getting on the plane to begin with. Tiffany was focused on the destination.

It’s a natural reaction to dwell only on the current circumstances when things get difficult. Just like my wife on the plane, when the turbulence hits, it steals all of our attention and feels like it will never end. We get anxious and uncomfortable, forgetting where we are headed and why we ever started the journey in the first place. We get all caught up in the unpleasantness of our current situation. The conflict can get so bad we might redirect or maybe even turn back the plane.

Misplaced focus can distract and divert you away from your goals and objectives. It will also steal your joy along the way. It is impossible to completely avoid the turbulence of life, so it is necessary, rather, to accept it and learn how to manage it. You must remind yourself why you are on the flight. Learn to look beyond the difficulty. Focus on the destination.

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