bcg blog

The Privilege of Focus

It’s 2001, I’m twenty-five years old and preparing for my first year as a head high school basketball coach.  I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing - a fact oblivious to me but crystal clear to everyone around me. I feel like I’m sprinting through the woods in the dark - no clue where I’m going and no clue which tree will be my next obstacle.

The one thing I did know is that I would work at it. I would address every possible situation, every possible circumstance. That, I was sure of. Our team would be ready - everything matters. I would start making a list, too ignorant at the time to realize exactly how incomplete it was:

• Man Offense, Zone Offense, Man Quick Hitters, Zone Quick Hitters, After Timeout Actions, Man BLOB, Zone BLOB, Man SLOB, Zone SLOB, Late Game Specials, Man Defense, Zone Defense, Ballscreen Coverages, Post Coverage, Fullcourt Pressure, Halfcourt Pressure, Defensive BLOB Scheme, Defensive SLOB Scheme; Transition Offense, Transition Defense, Rebounding Coverage, Defensive Rebounding Scheme, Secondary Break Scheme, Free Throw Rebounding, Timeout Organization, Halftime Organization, PreGame Plan, Post-Game Structure, Scouting Planning, Practice Schedules, Practice Drills, Practice Schedule, Coaching Staff Positions, Coaching Staff Duties, Player Relationships, Weightroom Routine, Weightroom Schedule, Skill Development, Youth Program Organization, Youth Program Coaches, Youth Program Connection, Game Schedule, Transportation Schedule … 
  

Each topic has subtopics that have subtopics … there’s a lot.  Then, there are things I never consider - like how to introduce myself to the opposing staff so I’m not mistaken for the team manager, which happened more than once. I learned to schedule the bus fifteen minutes earlier than we need to leave because, well, they are apparently allowed to arrive in a window around your departure time instead of the actual time. I discovered how to fill out the scorebook prior to the game to avoid a technical foul - thank you to the kind officials who informed me of this in my first game.

The first year of coaching is easily worth five years of experience, maybe ten. I believe one of the most powerful realizations you come to is that while everything matters, everything does not matter equally. The real challenge becomes identifying the things that matter the most and directing your focus to that.

What items deserve the privilege of your focus?

Why Should We Care?
I’m sure you’ve heard it multiple ways over the years: “You don’t get what you want, you get what you emphasize” or “If everything is important then nothing is”. The privilege of focus is attempting to convey the same message: we have to choose. We can do something, or anything, but we can’t do everything - and the more excellence you want, the fewer things you can do.

I’m not sure there is a more inaccurate, and popular, quote than “How you do anything is how you do everything”, at least for me. I know how I take out the trash and how I prepare for a basketball practice are not the same, how clean I keep my truck and how organized I keep my office desk are not the same, my preparation for a workshop and preparation for a cookout are not the same. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m not sure I want to commit the mental fortitude to make them the same.

Our focus is a privilege. It’s special and should only be granted to special people or things. If we attempt to give our focus to everyone or everything, we quickly lessen our impact - especially with the ones who matter the most. The focus we are directing somewhere else could be making all the difference if poured into the most important.

What, or who, is your focus giving the privilege to?

REAL TALK - Action Steps
In a world of ‘more is better’ we have to be intentional in order to direct our focus. We’re surrounded by bright shiny objects, all of which are calling for our attention. Here are a few thoughts on becoming ultra clear and intentional with your focus:

• Get to the Core
  
  • Identify your purpose and core values. This should be your focus. Without them, distractions have a serious upper hand because we don’t know the difference between an opportunity and a distraction. This is always step one. Any progress without this foundation will be fleeting … or the opposite of progress.
    

• Hell ‘Yes’ or ‘NO’
  
  • Say yes only to things that clearly reinforce or support your values and purpose. Everything else is, no. If it sounds simple, that’s because it is. It’s also extremely hard to consistently do. Your purpose and values are the ultimate crucible for your decision making. 
    

• Paint Bright Lines
  
  • ‘No phone after 7:00pm’ is way better than ‘use my phone less in the evening’. ‘20 minutes of my favorite video game’ is better than ‘I’m only going to play my video game for a little bit’. ‘I’m making no excuses’ is better than ‘I’m going to complain less’. Bright lines - clear territory on where you will go and where you won’t go help preserve our focus.
    

When we start viewing our focus as a privilege we stop giving it away so freely. It should be coveted and spent only on the things that matter the most. What do the things you do, say, or think about your focus?

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