My husband, Stan, loves to fish, and he takes fishing very seriously. This means he is a life-long learner about fishing, and he is always looking for a way to level up his fishing game. Throughout the year, he receives many small, extremely light-weight packages in the mail. Inside them are different kinds of fishing lures which are instrumental in catching different types of fish. When fish see a colorful, flashy object making a peculiar movement in the water, they turn their attention toward the lure. The lure acts as a DISTRACTION. Attached on the lure are fishhooks which are used to catch the fish, when the fish strike the lure. If the fish fall for the distraction and “take the bait,” they get hooked and may or may not live to tell the tale.

In my book, Heart of a Champion, I write about the distractions, drama, and noise that can lure and hook you away from running down your Bold Goals. Getting sidetracked by distraction can slow down your progress, increase frustration, or contribute to quitting altogether. Taking your eyes off your target, even if for a short period of time, counts as a distraction. When running down Bold Goals, everything counts, and everything matters.

Just like Stan’s fishing lures, the distractions, drama, and noise you experience throughout the day will not look exactly the same as someone else’s. Each person’s distractions have their own, subtle nuances and their own set of consequences. How well you manage your distractions will greatly influence the trajectory of your journey.

There will always be distraction, drama, and noise. The key to navigating through it all is being able to become a MASTER at recognizing what distracts you. Once you have an awareness of what pulls your attention from the task, develop strategies and take action. Your goal is to avoid the distraction, or if you get pulled in, get quickly back on track.

Identify your DISTRACTIONS. List them out one by one. Own every distraction that pulls your attention away from what you really, really, want. By owning it, you gain power over it. What you have power over, you have the opportunity to change.

Here is a short sampling of DISTRACTIONS. Read through these examples, as they may help spark you to identify what causes you to “take the bait” of distraction.

• Electronics

• TV

• Internet

• Video Games

• Smartphones

• All things social media

• Ruminating on the past

• Worrying about the future

• Focusing on what other people think, say, do or feel about you

• Comparing your results/journey to other people’s results/journey

• Conflict or disagreement with family/friends

• Entitlement

• Overestimating your competition

• Underestimating yourself

• Focusing on the problem vs. focusing on the solution

• Fear of missing out on what everyone else is doing

• Chasing the next new thing

• Spending time with your gossip circle vs. investing time with your Powerful Inner Circle

• Allowing debilitating and negative self-talk to dictate your thoughts, emotions, and actions

• Lack of sleep

• Poor nutrition and/or lack of hydration

Maybe some of these distractions pertain to you, but you just haven’t identified them as such. Distractions are unassuming, seemingly harmless things that can sneak up on you. This is why it is important to dig deep, and do the work of identifying them. Recognize what is keeping you from showing up with your best, every single day, giving full effort and focus.

Running down your Bold Goals, while allowing yourself to be DISTRACTED, is like wearing a pair of “distraction goggles.” “Distraction goggles” blur your vision and make it impossible to process information efficiently and effectively. Think of it this way:

Could you train effectively today, while wearing a pair of “distraction goggles?” How strong of a competitor would you be, while wearing “distraction goggles?”

Here’s the deal. You get to choose if you want to wear the goggles or not. If you do accidentally put them on, though, know that YOU have the power to take them off!

For me, it all comes down to HOW BADLY I WANT MY BOLD GOAL. Friend, I really, really want my current Bold Goal, and I am certain you really, really want your Bold Goal, too! Don’t “take the bait” of distraction and let it pull your mind away from your goal. Don’t let it blur your vision so you don’t have the clarity needed to run down your Bold Goals.

Are you ready to start seeing some real changes in your performance? I would be honored to help you get where you’ve always wanted to be. Contact me to begin my ninety-day, one-on-one coaching program, Master the Art of Winning. We will work together to achieve your Bold Goals. For more information, go to DoneneTaylor.com, or find me on social media @DoneneTaylor.