How to Stay Focused and Get What You Really Want

If it’s thinkable it’s doable

When I was a teenager nothing mattered more to me than being an actress. It’s all I thought about 24/7. Well, I mean, I left some thought space for boys and puppies but mostly, it was acting, acting, acting. Still, if anyone ever tried to lecture me about commitment and focus I would have turned a deaf ear to them. Because those words sound so BOOORRRIIING. And I was (am) a free-spirited, creative wild-child so don’t talk to me about commitment and focus! I need to be open and FREEEEEE!

But the thing is… my focus was so on point and I was über committed to my acting classes and to my theatre company. Ya see, I was already doing the things. And those things, along the way, did bring me some success.

Later, I applied the same focus to my writing and art careers. But focus is not a one-off. It takes continued focus to create the life you want.

CLARITY

I used to give short pep talk sessions for folx when they needed a dose of positivity and encouragement. (I have a large supply.) And I asked them the same question I’m about to pose here…

What do you want your life to look like?

First, you need to look at how you spend your days. Because your days ARE your life. This want will change throughout your life. That’s great! Our minds are flexible like that — they can and will change often. I’m currently in the process of making new dreams come true. You can be too.

In the past I had a vivid “I want my own TV show” dream and it happened! Not just because I had a dream but because a dream is a thought and everything starts as a thought. First comes a thought, then comes the action.

As time went on, I began to dream of calmer days for myself, writing a novel with a puppy on my lap feeling content after a good days’ work. On top of that, space and time to paint and draw and create art. For all of that to happen, I need to once again…

FOCUS

Each day after my yoga and meditation I write down ideas, actions I can take, that will take me in the direction of my goals. None of this feels like an intense TO DO LIST! I MUST ACCOMPLISH THIS NOOOOOW LIST! No, it’s more chill than that. You know why? Because I have clarity about my wants. Anything I do that is on my way to those wants makes me happy. Write it down. Carve out the time and focus. How? By making…

CHOICES

And those choices won’t always be easy. You’re going to need to say NO to some things. If you’re on a creating role, if you’re in the zone, then you can’t drop everything to hang out with friends. I mean, you can, of course, you can. you can do whatever you want, I’m not the boss of you. But understand that the more you stop yourself from doing the things you really want to do… the things you want to accomplish that make you deeply happy, the things that will shape how your life looks, each time you pull yourself away from those things… you’re walking further away from your dream life. There’s only so much time we have in a day — how we use it is our choice.

MAKE YOUR VOICE THE LOUDEST ONE

When I first became an artist, my friends mostly knew me as an actress and a writer, so this “art thing” was new for them. And when I do something, I tend to explode with that something. I had 74 pieces in my first solo art exhibit in Hollywood and I remember one friend looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face and with some bite to her tone said, So you just woke up one day and said, I’m an artist? And now you're an artist? I paused, smiled, and replied...Yes.

You don’t owe anyone an explanation.

There will always be people, even people who love you who will offer you some words. Everyone’s got words. They might not understand why you won’t come to all of their parties. They might take it personally. But this isn’t about them. And look, you don’t need to be a hermit (unless you want to be) all I’m saying is, above all else — listen to yourself. This is your one, gorgeous life. I know you can hear your voice telling you what you need to do to make your life look the way you want it to. Listen to it.

And when it comes to what’s best for your days, for your life, make your voice the loudest one in the room.

More Art & Stories from Annie! 🤩