Follow One Course Until Successful

Do you know what's my "Achilles heel?" Daily I come up with some amazing creative ideas, things that would really revolutionize my classroom or some topic that I feel is worthy of a blog, or a concept I should put in a book or some program that I think the world could benefit from---I'm talking about really good ideas. Sometimes I get so lost in my thoughts I become beside myself with the thought of what could be.

I then start off on my new vision. Often that involves getting myself a new notebook and some fancy pens, because we all know great ideas need a home, and I write, draw, scribble, jot out an elaborate concept. I even work on this new concept of mine for days, buy the needed supplies, be they a website domain, computer software or a membership subscription to some service. I work for days, some projects even get weeks. Then, while watching a television show, having a random conversation with a coworker or student, or while listening to my Spotify music playlists, another bright idea pops into my mind, one brighter than the one I'm currently working on, and before you know it, I've got myself a new notebook, a different set of pens and I start my drafting process all over again.

While cleaning, I run across these notebooks. I sit on the floor and look at the dreams I let die. In between the time that I conceived these ideas I've worked several grueling weeks teaching, put on programs and carried out initiatives at my job, battled and conquered migraines and what other ailments that have crept up on me and watched countless hours of television.

I did like we all often do. I let life happen. I began to focus on the here and now instead of what really matters to me--birthing life to some of these dreams I've conceived. I allowed the day-to-day to choke out what fuels me. I failed to "focus on what matters." Then I find myself out somewhere and I see a book similar to the one I started but never finished, or I'll find myself reading a blog that's similar to one I started but never finished and then I fall into a small creative depression. I get so down on myself for not finishing what could've been greatness. I lost focus.

Success isn't about talent. It's really about finishing what you start. There are a lot of people that can sing, but we really only know about the ones that actually finished a song and made an album. It doesn't matter that you have a million of great ideas. You only need one to be successful. You need to F.O.C.U.S--follow one course until successful. Stop chasing every bright light. "Focus on what matters."