How to Keep Your Options Open

Do you set your eyes on a goal and keep your focus and energy on attaining it? Your goal may be a promotion, saving for European vacation or getting Christmas presents bought in record time.

I can have tunnel vision when I’m focused on a goal. It amazes some of my friends that when I get into my zone; I can laser in and work relentlessly to attain whatever I set my eyes on. What I have learned is that keeping my laser focus can also be a liability if I do not keep my options open.

By this, I mean keep an open mind to consider other options that may appear along your life journey. A few years ago at the company I work at, some women got together to form a Women’s Business Resource group. I attended their inaugural event, during which I knew they would be asking for people to serve on committees.

I went with the intention of volunteering on one particular committee that struck my fancy. When it came time during the meeting for people to gather around the committee on which they wish to serve, I zeroed in on the committee I wanted to join. As I approached I noticed that they had A LOT of people joining that committee. I was kind of disappointed; but instead of just not volunteering at all, I decided to join another one.

I looked around at the other committees and saw another one that had only 2 people. I made the decision to join that committee; clueless to what it was. The committee was in an area completely outside my realm of experience; I felt like a babe in the woods. As we met over the next several months, I discovered that stepping outside my comfort zone and working in a new area was refreshing. I flourished on the committee because the work I was doing fed my soul.

About 6 months later, the committee chair retired from the organization and asked for me to fill the chair. I’ll never forget giving her all the reasons I couldn’t do it, which was mostly that I was not an expert in the field. She laughed and simply said ‘You love the work, you’ll do fine’. And she was correct.

It amazes me if I take off my laser focus blinders the opportunities that await me. But that is not enough, I also need the willingness to deviate from my charted course and take a risk on getting outside my comfort zone. When I do that I have been amazed at the new skills I learn and what that does for my self-confidence.

Please pop over to my Facebook page and comment on when this happened to you. Would love to hear from you.