A Dog in the Hunt

Imagine two young boys staring out over a fresh, snow-covered field. One boy challenges the other: "I bet I can run a straighter line across this field than you can." The first boy takes off, but as he runs, he keeps looking down and back over his shoulder, checking his progress, trying to correct his path. He gets to the other side, turns, and what does he see? A crooked, jagged, messy line.

The second boy, however, does something different. Before he takes a single step, he picks a visual target on the far side of the field. He fixes his eyes on it and sprints, his gaze never leaving that mark until he arrives. The result? A perfectly straight, direct path.

We do this every day in our personal and professional lives. You leave your desk to do something important—make a critical call, review a proposal, have a focused conversation. But before you get two steps away, what happens? DING! A new email notification. Buzz! A text from a client. A coworker with a "quick question." You get back to your desk—or even worse, three other distractions—only to realize you never accomplished the original task you set out to do.

You ran a jagged line because you kept looking down and back instead of forward.

So, what is your target right now? What or who NEEDS your undivided attention? Is it dinner with your spouse? Then be fully there.

Is it an important conversation with an employee? Close the door, put the phone on silent, and be present.

Is it playing a game with your daughter? Drop the phone, turn off the TV, and focus.

Sometimes, we need to show a little assertiveness. Say "no" to the quick interruption. Ignore the digital noise. Control the chatter in your mind.

When you fix your focus on what is truly important in this moment—planned or not—the distractions become less visible, less appealing, and certainly less destructive.

Be absent in anything but the moment. Keep your focus, press toward the mark, and run that straight path.

A dog in the hunt don’t know he has fleas!