"Risks and Focus"

How good are you at focusing your attention? It is an extremely valuable

skill, and I would like to talk about it today.

As I talked about yesterday, if we are to grow and reach our full potential,

it is absolutely necessary to take risks. By its very nature, risk implies

the possibility of loss. But at the same time, there is also the possibility

of benefit or gain. Whether a risk feels frightening or exhilarating

depends, almost entirely, on whether you are paying attention to the loss or

the gain.

If you focus on the loss, you will be tense, fearful and uptight, and your

performance will inevitably suffer. Maybe you will back down and decide it's

just not worth it. You will suffer a paralysis of will, and rationalize it

by saying to yourself, "Well, I didn't really want this after all. What I

have is good enough for me."

However, if you focus on the possible benefit and you picture yourself

enjoying success and gain, you will feel excited, even exhilarated. And you

know something? Fear and excitement feel pretty much the same in your body.

It is how you interpret and label them that makes all the difference.

So, the next time there is something you really want, and a risk is attached

(as there usually is), try controlling your mind. While you don't want to

ignore the loss altogether, focus instead on what you have to gain! We call

this deliberate focusing "visualization," and it's a powerful tool that will

help you take the risks you need to take in order to grow.

Lou Tice