Don’t Fixate. Focus.

Don’t let one piece of the puzzle distract you from the whole picture. Here’s how to maintain focus instead of fixating.

Once, back in the days when we were still having in-person presentations, a client hired me to observe her deliver a speech and provide feedback. As she stood up to speak at the event, the heel of her shoe caught on the hem of her pant leg. For a horrifying split-second she wobbled. Then, the hem tore, freeing her foot. Phew!

No biggie! She didn’t fall or hurt herself. Most of the people present hadn’t even noticed. Almost no one could see the torn hem from where they sat.

But the client could not let it go. She tried to collect herself and proceed with the speech, but her attention was fixed below her. She kept glancing down at the hem, trailing on the floor. She communicated distraction throughout the presentation with her darting eyes, her voice that stumbled over words, and her sense of space that shrunk down to include only herself.

I get it. I’ve seen it happen a million times and have done it myself. Clothing issues, technical problems, unexpected questions, changes in the environment, or any number of other details — good or bad, large or small — can wholly absorb your attention. But that just creates more problems. Instead of fixating, you need to focus.