Notes from Steve

Be Focused.

Aging is not for the weak.  If I don’t focus my mind on pretty much everything I do -- I’ll forget something.  Lately I’ve been making sure I’m whistling a tune or humming something when I lock the door … I’ll remember a tune more than I’ll remember locking the door.  And more than once, I’ve had to drive back home to check the door and make sure.  (and it has to be a different song every time … hmmm … I wonder if I could whistle passwords instead of having to make up new ones all the time …) 

Focus (aside from bad eyes) is paying attention.  Make lists if you have to.  Write on your hand.  Make up words or phrases to help you remember. (mnemonic*)  

We have a senior leadership meeting every Tuesday morning for 2-3 hours.  A long time ago, we’d just talk, and in fact, we had a 3-hour meeting on Thursday to talk as well.  It wasn’t a good use of our time.  Then we became focused.  Now, we have a white board so that when we bring up topics, we write them down prior to our meeting and focus on those topics only.  It streamlines our time -- and we were able to cancel our Thursday senior leadership meeting.

It has been said that luck is largely a matter of paying attention.  I say that if you aren’t focused on the task at hand, you’ll miss a lot of important stuff.  Is it really luck?  I think it’s taking advantage of the good stuff that’s right in front of your face because you are focused.

*a device such as a pattern of letters, ideas, or associations that assists in remembering something, for example my personal favorite -- HOMES (The Great Lakes --Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Superior) You’re welcome.