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I love picture associations. When I think of focusing, the first image that shows up in my mind is a Cannon circa 1985 camera. I remember as a child I would pick up my dad’s camera. As I was looking through the little square window, I would simultaneously play with the lens. It would make different objects fuzzy or crystal clear. I would walk around the house putting different objects in and out of focus.Fast forward to the present and you can see me doing the same thing with my phone, I will flip between different filters to see how it changes the image. My latest obsession is the portrait filter…it brings one object into hyper focus and makes everything else in the frame a little fuzzy. I find that this technique makes my eyes focus on the main object. And screams to the viewer, hey look at ME!
Sometimes, I wish life would be that simple. If the most important things were crystal clear and magnified and everything else would be just a little fuzzy.
When organizing my to do list and adding important reminders to my calendar, it would be so helpful if I could add the “portrait” filter. Making the priority tasks the focal point and crystal clear, while the less important tasks became the less focused background. And as an added bonus, the much-needed motivation would be automatic.

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Well, perhaps questions could be my tool to filter the list. Just as I would twist that camera lens to determine if the object was clearer or fuzzier, so too these questions would give clarity to priority..

As I am always on the quest for better questions, here are a few that perhaps could bring your list into better focus.
What goal does this task support?

What is the cost and what is it going to take to complete this task?

Is my task standing in anyone else’s way to accomplish their goal or task?

Is this time sensitive?

This short list of questions is not meant to be all encompassing yet should have your mind awake so that you can make intentional decisions. Your priority and your schedule should always be in your control. When we take ownership of our decisions, we have the ingredients to a purpose filled life that allows us to be the architect of our lives. With each intentional task we complete, we have made a decision that adds one more brick on our path leading us exactly to our planned goals.

How can we gain greater clarity about our task list vs our goals?…

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