Focusing on What You Want

October 26, 2011

At my last vision check up my Optometrist suggested that it was time for me to consider bifocals. I was certainly not surprised by her recommendation so I decided to compromise and experiment with bifocal contacts. My near vision was perfect, however my distance vision as a little blurry. This required me to focus intently on objects far away in order to make out details. I realized two things very quickly during my experiment: 1) focusing intently on one thing narrows your field of vision preventing you from seeing the whole picture, and 2) whatever object you’re focusing on captures your attention.

This situation reminded me of a Cherokee parable my husband and I have shared with our martial arts students to teach them the importance of focusing on positive emotions, thoughts, and actions. The parable is about an old Cherokee chief who was teaching his grandson about life. The chief tells his grandson, "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight between two wolves."One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego."The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.” "This same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too." The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"The old chief simply replied, "The one you feed."

The same is true when it comes to your health and wellness. Focusing intently on your obstacles/challenges without having a plan to overcome them, narrows your field of vision preventing you from seeing and appreciating what you have accomplished. It also captures all your attention and keeps you from moving forward. Instead of focusing on what you don’t want or your current situation, concentrate your efforts on your goal and create a plan for prevailing over your challenges. Reward yourself for achieving small steps towards your goal. Remember, “The one you feed” WINS!