Few skills are as important as the ability to focus.  Like a magnifying glass to the sun, focus is the mechanism by which it becomes possible to concentrate the diffuse sunshine of thought into a sharp pointed laser-beam.  When your laser is on target, you’re able to burn your way to success far more efficiently and effectively than you otherwise could.

There are two primary channels through which to gather focus:

• Self-discipline
• Passion

Self-discipline is a skill.  As with any skill, it can be improved through training and practice.  With sufficient coaching or training, it’s possible to become far more self-disciplined, and, as a result, focused.  At the same time there’s an upper-limit to the amount of self-discipline you can develop.  This upper-limit is set by your natural ability to be self-disciplined. Those with a natural propensity for self-discipline are generally able to put their heads down and plow through whatever it is that needs to get done, regardless of whether they like it or not.  Since focusing on your talent is inherently satisfying, for the naturally self-disciplined the accomplishment that flows from the effort becomes its own reward.

With the less disciplined, the circumstances of the job are much more important for their ability to focus.  The less disciplined will derive little to no satisfaction from applying themselves to what “has” to get done.  Rather, to find their focus the less disciplined must turn to what they “want” or “need” to get done.  This requires that they tap into their passions.  Unlike self-discipline, passion is neither a talent nor a skill – it’s an emotion.  Like any emotion, it can’t be harnessed by force, logic or reason.  As Blaise Pascal said, “the heart has its reasons which reason knows not of.”

So the key for the less disciplined is to find what speaks to their hearts, and there are two key ways to do this.  First, you can make sure that you employ your own natural talents on the job.  Just as the naturally self-disciplined can derive satisfaction from work that allows them to draw on their gift, so too can the undisciplined find joy in work that allows them to focus on their gifts, whatever those may be.  The key here is to make sure that there is a fit between the talent and the requirements of the job.

The second way to tap into your passion is by appealing to your values.  The root of the word “motivation” is “motive”, and people are most motivated by the things that matter to them most.  If you’re not naturally self-disciplined, and you’re in the unenviable position of having a job that does not employ your natural talents, the only ways for you to gain focus are either through a lot of hard coaching or training, or by aligning your work with your values.  Otherwise, you will forever be unmotivated, unfocussed, and ultimately ineffective at what you do.

The ideal, of course, is to align your work both with your natural talents and your values.  When you’re able to do that, then it doesn’t really matter whether you derive your focus from self-discipline or passion.  The end result will be the same: laser-beam focus and a high level of effectiveness in all you do.