Changing Your Focus

A few days ago I was shooting some pictures for someone and my eye kept being drawn to something in the background that I absolutely hated and it was just ruining the shot. I kept trying to get this shot, but it just was not right. I was getting very frustrated, as I could see in my mind what I wanted, but I could not get the shot. I started fussing about the junk in the background, but it was not only the object in the background, the entire thing seemed out of joint. I just could not get the shot right. I probably took at least 25 or more shots and I just could not get what I wanted. I stopped and talked with the person I was shooting and she said to me, "can't you just edit it out?" I'm like, "Duh?" But I was still unhappy with what I had. And it hit me... what was wrong here was that I was so consumed with that thing in the background that I was not focusing on what my subject was doing. We shot it again, and immediately I knew what was wrong. When my focus shifted from that stupid thing in the background and put my focus on what I was trying to do, I knew right away what was ruining the shot and was able to make the necessary corrections. Two more shots and I had exactly what I was looking for.

There is a great life lesson in that scenario that I walked out in my photography. I've come more and more to realize that what has your attention is what will become your focus and cause you to waste a lot of time and energy because you are focused on the problem rather than the solution. Winners... or those who overcome are positive thinkers. They do not give in to the temptation to become negative. They refuse to waste their energy and thoughts on their obstacles.  Instead, they focus on their goals and how to attain them, rather than what obstacles stand in the way. Only two things will consume you every day of your life… your obstacles and your goals.  What you choose to focus on is what will prevail in your life. Make a choice to stop looking at your failures and setbacks and all the "junk in the background" and shift your focus on the subject at hand and how to succeed. Failure is not an option!

Philippians 4:8-9 from The Message version of the Bible says:

 8-9  Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.