Hi there,

Back to school time it is. My daughter, Kasie, started 5th grade this year and her first day went off without a hitch. She likes her teacher. Likes her school. And was very happy to discover the girls high school basketball coach is her gym teacher. Can you say perfect match for my I-love-basketball daughter! :) There she is to the left, right before she catches her bus, with our BIG CAT Isabelle, and our dog Bogie. What a trio!

This time of year ushers in a prime opportunity to re-focus our energies. Summer is over and we’re heading into a new season. I love it! Maybe it goes back to getting fresh school supplies as a kid but this time of year makes me want to throw out the old and bring in the new. I like to start this time of year feeling REFRESHED and READY TO FOCUS so I can end the year on a high note.

This week’s article will help you end your year on high note too. 6 Great Questions that Will Help You Find Your Focus will help you now and anytime during the year. I first published this article about a year ago and thought the timing was right to offer it again. (And by doing so, it allows me the time I need to refocus my energies! Thank you for allowing me to do so!)

ENJOY the start of a new season. Here in the states autumn is in the air - my FAVORITE season. I love to go apple picking and spend cool nights by the fireplace with my favorite hot drink or glass of wine. It's a great time of year to INDULGE and I'm planning on doing just that!

Wishing you happiness and success,



P.S. Want something that will help you stay focused on what really matters? Check out offer #3 under "Cari Recommends". You'll see a new addition to my growing list of great success tools, InspireYourSuccess.com. I publish InspireYourSuccess.com for people who want a little extra nudge, motivation and inspiration to get them where they want to go. Try it for only 30 days and see what a difference it makes in how you view your potential. With a subscription to InspireYourSuccess.com you'll feel like you have someone by your side that believes in you at all times. Check it out below and give it a shot. You really will love it!

6 Great Questions that Will Help You Find Your Focus

Do you have a ton to do and have no idea where to start? Would you like to know with each step you take you’re heading in the right direction? Would you like to narrow your “to do” list down to a few key items and let go of the rest? Would you like to work smarter, not harder?

The questions below will help you do just that. Answering these questions will help you find your focus so you can do what you want to do and feel great about your life while you’re doing it.

1. What do I care about most? Or, where is my heart leading me?

Only when you allow yourself to do what you care about most will you begin feeling better about your life.

Asking this question will give your HEART a space to speak and be heard. When we get wrapped up in all the “stuff” we have to do we often overlook what our heart wants.

2. What do I really, really want to do? Or, ask yourself “is this what I really want?” If the answer is “no”, ask yourself why you're doing it and then find a way to stop doing it. So much life is wasted doing things we don’t want to do.

Doing what you really want is a process of identifying and letting go of the things that you don’t want and replacing them with things that you do want. Overtime you’ll rebalance your life to include MORE of what you want to do.

This question will give your DREAMS an opportunity to come to life. This one question could set your life on a new course.

3. How do I want to feel while I’m doing what I’m doing? If what you’re doing doesn’t give you pleasure while you’re doing it, you may be on the wrong track. Why? Because “doing” takes up much more time then the result. The result happens once. We reach each goal only once and then it’s over. The journey to our goals is what fills our life with experiences. If you’re not feeling good during the “doing” (aka – the journey) is it really worth it?

This question allows your SPIRIT to come alive – to be experienced. Give yourself permission to do things that feel good and you’ll live an inspired life.

4. What is the “for sake of what” behind what I’m doing? Another way to word this question would be, “In the big picture of my life what purpose does this action serve?” If the answer isn’t clear you may be letting life lead you.

This question helps you CONNECT THE DOTS and make better choices for your life. Basing your actions on a clear purpose puts you in the driver's seat which means you are LEADING your life instead of letting it lead you.

5. What am I going to do? Make a list of all the things you care about and all the things you really want to do and prioritize them with a “1-2-3” approach. Rank your list in order of importance.

Of course we make choices (decisions) about what we’re going to do all day long BUT how often do we make choices after asking questions 1-4? Answering the above questions FIRST will give you the opportunity to bring more of what you really want into your life.

This question requires a CHOICE be made. Now you’ve narrowed your focus!

6. How am I going to do it? After narrowing your focus create a mini action plan for each item. Write down the steps you’ll need to take to make it happen.

Tip: only focus on 1 or 2 things at a time (ex: over the period of 1 month). Don’t try to do everything at once. That will just lead to overwhelm. Give yourself a chance to worker smarter and you will get more done.

This question will inspire you to TAKE ACTION. Nothing happens without it. In order to create the life you want you have to give your dreams, heart and spirit a voice and space in your life. However, this alone won’t make things happen. You have to channel all these things into a clear course of action.

Instead of jumping into your “to do” list, take some time to reflect upon these questions. By doing so you’ll put yourself on a life and/or business path that reflects more of what you really want. Determine your FOCUS first and you'll live a fuller, richer life.

© 2006 Cari Vollmer / LifeOnTrack.com

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