Keep people focused on something other than the news

Do your co-workers have that "Deer In The Headlines" look today?

Today, and likely this week, you have a choice:  Obsess on the Wall Street crisis or focus on a project that will make a difference over the long haul.  I doubt that there's little in between.

Me personally, I'm going to focus my efforts on my new website (SavingTheWorld.net), a knowledge network for people that want to make a difference.  I'm going to focus on design, user experience, traffic generation and reporting issues.  I'm going to turn off the TV, leave email open and put on horse blinders to everything else.

While Rome burns, I'll build something.  Likely, my efforts this week won't be erased by the results of current events.  In fact, so many others will choose the Obsess option, I'll likely move ahead as a result of my focus during a time of distraction.

This will work for you too.  Turn it all off, and devote your attention to a single project of value.  Work on the product or the marketing plan.  Get inside the process, and don't come out until it is fixed.  Get in your car and go see a Customer (or call them).  Do something, anything.  You'll be thinking against the grain.

Comments

[Subhankar Ray]

Remember the movie - City Slickers. Curly talked about the "one thing". If you have that with a good health, and better relationships..you got it all..

Cheers!
Subhankar Ray

[Darron Stover]

difficult advice for an investment adviser!!! I could try to come up with something to divert atttention, but I doubt it would work.

Actually, I decided to deal with the news head-on. You might say "diffuse the news". Sent a correspondence immediately after congress dropped the ball and the market tanked. Be real about the situation, concerned about the present and optimistic (but not overly) about the future - nothing but positive respone so far.

[Jim Grisanzio]

Very good advice. Agree 100%. It´s the distinction between *doing* and *talking* and it works in all situations. Thanks for the reminder. :)

[Teriss]

This is so true after all you are what you think. Concentrate on building is a good message especially in our economic conditions, its time to get things rolling again.

[Ken Whiteside]

I couldn't agree more. We must remember that the economy, just like every other reality, is an agreement among all of us co-creators. The more we focus on a crisis (whatever that is), the more crisis we get.

This is also a good time to remind ourselves that news is a profit driven business - the more we pay attention to what they have to say, the more money they make. There is certainly nothing immoral about that. The news media is just doing its job - keep us engaged in what they have to say.

[robert]

My feeling exactly - I know it's happening but it is simply not in my field of vision, if you will. Letting your spirit get brought down by that sort of thing is the first step towards an unproductive downward spiral.