March Madness in full swing

March 19, 2020

ISSN# 1545-2646

March Madness in full swing

There is lots going on in the world these days with health, stocks, politics and the unusual absence of sports.  Each year when the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament would get underway, many people would be distracted from the bounty of other things which bombard us daily. This year, at least from our perspective, we had hoped the basketball tournament was going to be a positive distraction but that has quickly gone away.

Our world is filled with digital and electronic waves of information. You can almost not escape it.  It is like a hurricane of relentless buffeting of wind and rain. Whether it be our phone, out tablet, our PC, our radio, our TV, our ……. fill in your own blank, we can’t get away from the noise. This year in particular seems to be exceptionally loud.  With the COVID-19 virus, the global economy, the 2020 election etc., the noise through all of these challenges just keeps coming at us.  It brings a whole new meaning to March Madness in 2020.

At one time in my past, basketball was significantly important.  I played it, I coached it, I officiated it, I watched it, I was consumed in basketball.  As strange as it sounds, the first couple of weekends during the tournament, I would make sure my schedule was such that it provided ample time to watch as many games as possible from noon on Thursday to after midnight on Sunday. This was intentful distraction to watch basketball. The last few years I had since changed those distractions but still enjoyed watching the competitiveness of the teams in the tournament. This year is completely different for all of us.

As business owners we must now deal with distractions never previously encountered by any of us as part of the course of running our businesses. We all previously dealt with some distractions which allowed us to appreciate the various elements of our vast world. The challenge for each of us today is to hold ourselves accountable to the core promises we made prior to the numerous distractions.  No we don ‘t know the full impact or outcomes which are unfolding around us but that does not mean we forego commitments to our basic values of living.

One approach to helping to navigate such broad based distraction is to have defined targets, goals and objectives.  If you hopped in your vehicle and started driving you would end up somewhere. If you did not have a particular destination defined, you could very well be lost.  The challenge is, with out a defined destination, you likely end up somewhere you either should not be or even worse, in the complete opposite direction from where you need to be.

Targets, goals and objectives are directions or pointers on your guidance system or compass. By having your compass in hand you will always be making better choices on what direction you need to take next. With targets, goals and objectives you have a measuring stick. A system to gauge your distance to and from a target so that you can reorient when you drift away because of external noise or distraction.

Going back to my days of being completely immersed into basketball during March Madness, I never lost sight of the targets, goals and objectives I had promised to achieve prior to the distraction.  I made sure that the time away from the TV was most effective which in turn allowed me the opportunity to be distracted without forgoing my promises to achieve the goals set forth in front of me.

The distraction today and in the coming days are going to be numerous.  With no compass and simply guessing your way through, you will likely lead yourself into additional challenges.  This week narrow down the distractions and keep things simple.  Know the core values and personal/business aspects that need your attention and focus first on those prior to the various other things which are likely to fill your day.

Once this Madness levels out, choose to be free of unproductive distractions by giving JKL Associates a call at (313) 527-7945 in Michigan or (407) 984-7246 in Florida and engaging a “Promise Guide” for your future success.

Questions or comments – email us at partners@jklassociates.com or call our Offices – MI at (313) 527-7945 FL at (407) 984-7246
Our Purpose – To build Relationships rooted in “Purpose” so authentic contributions deliver “Promises”
A life where a “Promise” means something!
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