It’s overwhelming to think about all the crazy things going on in the world. We are on the back end of a pandemic and the threat of WWIII seems increasingly more likely. It’s hard for one person to process these global events in a healthy way. How do you stay focused on accomplishing your goals during a crazy time like this? 

With four decades of life experience under my belt, I have noticed a pattern. No matter how bad the events of the time are our media will always make it seem like the world is going to end. Floridians know this all too well. When a hurricane comes to town the news whips all the new transplants into a frenzy the week leading up to the hurricane making landfall. Causing a run on the grocery stores and gas stations. My neighbor who just moved from the northeast boarded up his windows the last time a tropical storm came close. While the locals go about living their lives for the most part. 

While the complacency of the locals can leave them vulnerable, it does allow them to keep their focus on what’s important to them personally. I don’t believe that the doomsday rhetoric will stop any time soon. To combat this we must become aware of it and view the world through that lens. After all, how do you plan on accomplishing your dreams while you’re constantly distracted?

I’m not advocating for anyone to put their head in the sand and ignore the world around them. The sources we get our news from matter more than ever. It’s hard to say who has your best interest at heart but I tend to think none of them do. We can’t blindly consume media like our parents. We need to become more sophisticated consumers that have the ability to process several viewpoints and make our own conclusions about the world. We must evolve to overcome the challenges of information overload. Being disciplined will help free your mind to focus on thriving while others are drowning. 

So how do you stay focused on your goals during this time? The first step is to acknowledge that it is normal to feel overwhelmed and anxious. Give yourself permission to take breaks from the news and disconnect from social media every once in a while. This will help prevent burnout and allow you to come back more refreshed later.

Secondly, create a personal mission statement that you can refer back to when you start to feel off track. This will help keep your focus on what’s important to you. Lastly, find a trusted group of people that you can talk to about your goals and the world around you. Having accountability partners will help keep you accountable and moving forward even when the going gets tough.

We live in an age where we are bombarded with information from all sides. It’s important to be able to filter out the noise and focus on what’s important to you. By following these steps, you can stay focused on your goals and thrive during this crazy time.