It Is All About Focus!

Is there anyone in the world who does not know who Michael Phelps is? I marvel at the wisdom of his mother during his formative years. Knowing she had an ADHD child who was constantly getting into trouble, she deliberately set out on a path to channel his excessive energy. Between her and her husband, Michael went on to break Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals won at the 1972 Olympic Games. Michael is now a 14-time Olympic gold medalist (the most by any Olympian), currently holding seven world records in swimming.

How did he do it? It is all about FOCUS.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24)

I have enjoyed watching the amazing athletes compete in the Summer Olympics. US swimmer Michael Phelps’ performance at the Olympics was truly impressive. He accumulated more gold medals than any other athlete and broke world records every time he hit the pool. Those who know him credit his success to his remarkable focus on his sport. Sure, he’s naturally talented, but he also works hard to do one thing: win.

We’ve seen this type of focus in other athletes: Tiger Woods, Peyton Manning and Lance Armstrong come to mind. They all illustrate the potential for individuals to excel beyond normal expectations to achieve greatness.

Interestingly, most great athletes attribute much of their success to an influential person in their lives. Earl Woods and Archie Manning were both father and coach to their sons. Phelps was recently quoted by ESPN as saying, “I don't think I could be where I am today with any other coach," Phelps said. "He's so intelligent in this sport and cares about every one of his athletes. He's so thorough. He's always on top of things. I'm fortunate to have a coach like him.”

He’s talking about Bob Bowman, the American swimming coach. Another swim coach said, "Bob teaches him, advises him, guides him, pushes him."

All of us can achieve remarkable things in life if we are focused. Granted, it will likely be on a smaller stage than the Olympics or The Masters, but we can truly be who we were created to be if we will set our goals, work to achieve them and refuse to be distracted by the obstacles in our way.

To do this, it often takes someone to teach us and guide us. Yet, coaches are not always there for our comfort. Like Bowman, they will push us and challenge us to be better. Christians look to Jesus Christ as our “life coach.” His words constantly push us and challenge us. By focusing on His principles, He has enabled me to become far more than I could have on my own. Any success I have had in life is directly attributed to His “coaching.”

"No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God," Jesus said. (Luke 9:62) Like an Olympic athlete, once we set our course to follow Christ, we don’t turn back; we press forward with our eyes on the ultimate goal. We prepare mentally and spiritually to finish the race that is our lives with nothing less than “gold” in mind. Like the U.S. athletes that wrap themselves in the American flag at the end of a race well-run, we are wrapped in the glory of Jesus Christ as the music of heaven celebrates our efforts. There is no greater glory than to hear the Lord say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Following Christ is more like a marathon than a sprint, so we must set our eyes on Him every single day and...

...throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (Hebrews 12:1b)

The beautiful thing about the Christian life is that even if we stumble, we are not out of the race. We are not competing with other people. We are measured according to God’s expectations while being carried by His grace. There is no silver or bronze, only gold. And it’s waiting for each of us if we will just stay in the race. Like the apostle Paul, we must forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead, pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

Are you ready to focus your eyes on the prize today?

2008 April Lorier

APRIL LORIER - So. California. An award-winning poet, inspirational author and speaker. A survivor of both child abuse and adult domestic abuse, April inspires women to be all that God designed them to be! She first gained recognition as a children's rights crusader while successfully fighting for the passage of the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), which was signed into law by Ronald Reagan. Her book God's Battered Child: Journey From Abuse to Leader is available on her blogs and in online stores.