It’s unlikely that we can completely avoid distractions because life isn’t that controllable. But, we can find ways of minimizing distractions.
How did we get here?
We know distractions are bad, but they bug us anyway. How bad? Look at the terms used when we’re distracted: off track, delayed, confused, struggling to get back on task. You can think of others. This problem isn’t going away, but there are ways to minimize the impacts of distractions.
A Practical Example
Let’s begin with a story. The Book of Nehemiah centers on rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. The project took 52 days to complete, Nehemiah 6.15. As expected, Nehemiah faced challenges. We’ll focus on the distractions described in Chapter 6.1-9.
1). While working, opponents sought to distract him, 6.2. Nehemiah discerned their intentions were bad.
2). He said he was doing “… a great work …” thus didn’t have time for the meeting, 6.3. He minimized this distraction by falling back on his purpose for the project.
3). The opposition made multiple attempts to distract him, 6.4; Nehemiah’s response was the same each time. He minimized the distractions by not deeming them credible.
4). On the fifth attempt, 6.5, the opposition made a false accusation, 6.6. His response was “… there are no such things …” or, more bluntly he called them liars!
5). He then closed with a prayer for strength to continue the work, 6.9.
The Precept
Proverbs 4.25-27 offers guidelines for addressing distractions. In short, a purposeful, sensemaking life is: purpose focused, strategy driven, and distraction avoidant. Here are the details:
Focus on your purpose. Implied is you know WHERE you’re going and WHY you’re going there, 4.25.
Have a flexible strategy for pursuing your purpose, thus know HOW you’ll get there, 4.26.
Avoid distractions along the way since minor detours are a major problem, 4.27.
Apply This Today!
Be clear about your purpose – your WHY – during each season of life.
Recognize distractions from that life purpose so you can stay focused.
Grasp the truth by pairing clarity of purpose with personal integrity. Purpose-driven integrity is one essential trait for successful execution of strategy.
Call a liar a liar! That’s a hard but necessary conversation. A lie remains a lie, regardless of how many times it’s repeated.
Remember the Multiplication Principle – small deviations or distractions, consistently repeated, have a significant impact on life outcomes.
A Question to Consider
What’s the role of discernment in dealing with distractions?
Some Additional Vocabulary
Proverbs 4.27 ends with the word “evil.” That Hebrew word Ra doesn’t suggest the distraction is a minor detour. Instead, the word indicates the outcome of getting off track is extremely damaging. How so? Elsewhere, that Hebrew word is translated by words such as adversity, affliction, bad, harm, hurt, mischief, wicked, and wickedness. Ugh, that’s a seriously negative list!
I’m Dale Young. My posts share the balanced life to build wise character and guide wise behavior.
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