It’s now Spring, that awkward time where it isn’t a fresh start or the end of a year. We are 3 months into the new year and it’s time to check ourselves. Many of us are feeling depleted mentally, physically, and spiritually. Whether it’s lack of inspiration or feeling burned out, the real question we have to ask ourselves is, “are we not focused or not hungry?” Both can seem the same on the surface, but if you dig deep into the roots, you will discover the two have different characteristics and both can be detrimental to our success. So how do we stay true to those resolutions and goals without throwing in the towel or burning out this early?

The Lack of Hunger

Nothing begins without a strong desire, starting with your hunger. Hunger is the source of our hustle, and our work, which we all depend on daily. If you don’t work, you don’t eat. But what happens when you’re not hungry for success, and you come to a place where you’re more comfortable than hungry? You know the feeling—that lack of passion or just plain laziness. It results in drifting through life, instead of living a meaningful life.

For every creative person and entrepreneur, just the sheer thought of not being able to pay rent, a car note or cellphone bill is enough to get us out of bed in the morning—because we are hungry for it. Believe me, it’s great to have a life where you figured out how to cover rent for the next six months. However, don’t let the comfort in your life allow you to lose your hunger. If you lost your appetite, it’s simply time to upgrade your meal plan! Lack creates hunger and that hunger turns into drive, which will help you attain your goal. Without focus, though, it does us no good. This brings me to my next point; the hunger will just remain a growling stomach.

The Lack of Focus

Most people fall in the “lack of focus” category. When looking at life, we have the vision and the hunger, but we don’t have the clear focus to execute our dreams, which can be discouraging. If I had to break it down a different way, I would say the hunger determines what you eat, but your focus determines how much you will eat. Therefore, your focus is critical. When we look back at our yearly goals, we may ask, “why were some goals reached and the others weren’t?” The answer may be a result of too many goals and not enough focus to manage them. By narrowing down your options and setting clear steps to achieve those goals, you can increase your focus. If this is you, try taking a step back. Carefully limit your goals for the rest of 2019 to just five, and see how that goes. As your goals are checked off, you can add more. This will help deepen your focus while keeping your hunger intact.

Hunger and focus are both necessary to reach your purpose. Too often we rely solely on one, while neglecting the other. You can have all the hunger in the world, but if there isn’t any focus to direct your hunger, you won’t benefit. Focus, which is a powerful discipline, can only do so much without hunger to fuel it. Tap into both and finish this year strong. Stay focused and stay hungry my friends.

FROM THE EDITOR
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