“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
– Psalm 119:15 (ESV)

One of the great problems in leadership is becoming distracted. How often as coaches do we find ourselves getting off the main road and meandering down rabbit holes? When we’re focused and our vision is clear, we become like a racehorse with his blinders on. We are zoned in! In his book The Legend of Bear Bryant, Mickey Herskowitz described the famed Alabama football coach’s vision. “Coach Bryant could always focus on something with both eyes and still find a third eye to be looking at himself while he was doing it.” How many times could we use a third eye? Coach Bryant avoided distractions and he stressed the right priorities—faith, family, education and then winning football games.

Life will often distract us and take us off the main road. Personal illness, losing seasons, or the failure to save that athlete you poured your heart into can be distractions that derail us. Our challenge is to see beyond the present and focus on the big picture. Our troubles shouldn’t cause us to lose faith or shatter our vision. There are even some benefits to going through hard times. They can keep us from becoming prideful. They can cause us to look beyond this life. They can give us the opportunity to grow our faith and share that faith with others. The Apostle Paul does his best to encourage us by reminding us that this life is not all there is. As a follower of Jesus Christ, we are promised so much more—we are promised life after death! Knowing we will live for eternity with God in a place without sin and suffering can help us live above the pain we face in this life.

Heavenly Father, keep me focused today. Help me to keep my eyes on the big picture as I deal with the constant distractions that come my way. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.