Shift Archives - Scott's Thinking

Shifting Your Focus

Posted on February 12, 2021

It can seem odd, natural or fantastic. When you are trying something new, it can be a little uncomfortable. Shifting your focus from one space to another can leave most people wanting a way out.

People make big shifts all the time. It just might not seem like it. We all made a significant shift when we left secondary school. Whether you left in year 7 or after A levels, your next move would have felt like a big one. You may have gone to work, or out as an apprentice or maybe even off to university.

Regardless of where you went, the focus shifted. The standards changed. Your perception of yourself and the perceptions others had of you changed. You might have been considered a school leaver or thought of as university bound. It can be hard to reconcile your new description or tag. Sometimes in life, we won‘t like the description we have been given.

It does not matter though. You need to move on faster, both mentally and in the physical realm. The sooner you can adjust your lenses, the easier you may find it comfortable.

I have been shifting in many ways over the years. From banking, to a corporate role, to a property investor, to a full time Dad, to an author, blogger and now content creator on YouTube. All of these new skills and opportunities.

Shifting your focus can bring lots of excitement into your life.

Action Observe

Changing Teams

Posted on January 19, 2021

The way people shift from group to group fascinates me. Not only due to the values based decision making but also the prioritisation. Changing teams is an interesting study.

Let’s use a simple example using sport. Let’s say I start following baseball. Somehow I become a supporting fan of a specific team, like the Pittsburgh Pirates. While watching I will become even more engaged with some players more than others. I was a huge fan of Willie Stargell, MVP of the 1979 World Series.

I then decide to go to a game that sees them square off against the Chicago Cubs. This happens to be my friend’s team.

So throughout the day, I feel closest to my friend. This friendship deepens as we head to the ballpark to watch our favourite sport of baseball. But in the stadium our allegiance shifts. He cheers vigorously for his Cubs while I cheer for the Pirates. My priority is now to my team and he feels the same for his team.

Let’s say Willie then hit a home run. My friend is unhappy and lets me know it. I defend Willie. The conversation moved from big picture to individual from the start of the day until now. Friendship, baseball, game, team, player.

We leave the ballpark and head home. Some soccer fans are celebrating the result of their match, on the streets. My friend and I are laughing again as we got over the game, remember our love of baseball and unite against the soccer fans and their chosen sport.

Changing teams again.

Action Observe Think About It

Get Out Of The Way!

Posted on November 29, 2020

The only thing stopping you from achieving what you want right now is you. That is it. You need to address the obstacle in your mind and get out of the way!

It’s easy to think that someone or something else is responsible for our lack of expected progress. We had ideas and dreams. There was a general path that people had followed before us.

Like most Hollywood movies, things are supposed to get back to, and certainly end, better than they started. Sure there would be little bumps in the road but they are handled reasonably well by our able script writers, the actors and the director.

Real life is a wee bit different. Especially the bit about timing. We have no idea where we are in the equivalent of a two hour movie. Are we near the end or the middle?

Regardless, you have some challenges in your mind that need a little bit of your attention. If you are procrastinating, understand why. If you’re struggling to move forward, look into your thoughts. Be honest with yourself. Write these thoughts somewhere safe. Dwell on them until you have some good, hard answers as to why you are not travelling in the direction, or style, you thought you would be.

Then you you need to make some adjustment and move from being uncomfortable to unstoppable.

Build good habits and get out of the way!