The power of distraction is quite incredible in how it affects our daily lives. More types of media vie for our attention seemingly every day. Now, the possibility of distraction from what we should actually be doing is growing rapidly.

More than ever, our attention spans are shrinking to the point where we can find ourselves jumping from one distraction to another. It's annoying to have so many possible distractions. But, it can also be quite draining.

Of course, we also get a lot of distractions in the form of notifications from our cell phones, updates on Facebook, and new emails. It’s also easy to get lost in Tumblr or Pinterest, as I have without contest done for hours on end far too often. While we may try to multi-task, watching TV or listening to something while we try to do something else, our minds wander. We end up focusing on what’s supposed to be in the background instead of on what we were trying to do.

One way to try and keep distractions from draining us is to try and use each distraction as a learning experience. It's not so much learning simply not to be distracted. It's recognizing what are our greatest distractions and understanding why they affect us so greatly.

Some distractions can actually enrich our lives and offer much needed diversion from what crazy lives we so often lead day to day. It's just important to not let such diversions rule our lives. So, we must reflect on them. Do they expand our knowledge of something? Do they enrich our appreciation for nature and the simpler things in life?

If we have distractions that don't do either of these things then they are purely empty fun. Actually, we do need those from time to time, especially when things have been overly stressful or monotonous. Breaks from routines are important. But, try your best to make a learning experience from as many distractions as you can. We tend to see our own lives as boring and uninteresting far too much of the time. It's about time we change that.

Distractions can be extremely good for you. But sometimes you just have to put yourself in a place where nothing can distract you. It’s important to understand the difference between a distraction and a diversion. Diversions are something that you do intentionally. Distractions are most often something that you don’t intend to grab your attention. But I’ve often found that diversions can become distractions.

What are some of your favorite diversions?

There has always been a burning passion within me to create things. Having a passion for building, I believe, is an innate human desire. It doesn’t always mean building with blocks, writing a story, or drawing a picture.

There are so many kinds of creativity I've discovered over the years. Creating melodies is one that I discovered at an early age. But I found that I never had the patience to compose music. I was much more content writing words. Unfortunately, I find now that my words oftentimes have limitations in expressing certain ideas. So did I make a major mistake in becoming a writer instead of a composer or musician?

Actually, I find that I have a burning passion for writing more than composing. I compose themes in my head all the time and hum them. Perhaps, I should record them. I usually forget them as soon as I would come up with them, though.

Strangely enough, a lot of my poems are like that, too. Even more interestingly, I’ve found that a lot of my best poems are actually written to those little ditties in my head. Perhaps, it's best that I became a poet with a musical mind.

Then again, I don’t necessarily consider myself a poet. Although from the massive collection of poetry that I’ve accumulated since 2002, I can't deny that I am. When I write a poem, I don’t sit there and construct it. It just happens. I don’t really compose poems. They just sort of happen. I certainly don’t compose the little musical snippets in my head. They simply happen.

I find my true passion is in the composition of prose. I enjoy tying together complex ideas in ways that I haven’t seen done before. Then, I try to share them in as clear and a concise a way as I can.

I was born to be a writer, and I know that. I do not regret pursuing prose writing to the maximum at all. But, I wonder sometimes what my brain is doing trying to stretch me out as a petty ditty composer and poet.

Sure, I have a passion for building. But, while poems and songs obviously can be built, I don’t build them. They are raw material that I can build from, yet I just capture what I can of them whenever it is seemingly convenient for me.

Yet, I don’t try to build around the poems and ditties that I create. Perhaps that is what is bothering me as a writer. I've built a good foundation, but I have not truly recognized what I’m trying to build. But, as I've found, it's much better to just let your passion fuel your creation, even if you don't quite yet understand the purpose of what you've created.

Sometimes, passion alone can create some pretty cool things. While I focus on prose, primarily, I do occasionally let my poetic side free. It helps me express things that I may be struggling with in prose. So, in that way, it's constructive for me to do something that I'm not crafting quite so precisely. It may not always be "good" or fit for publishing, but it's better to create something than nothing and keep your passion from going cold.

If you have a burning passion to create things, how do you channel this passion? I’d love to hear how you do it.

Photo credit: Flickr user Steven Depolo, via Creative Commons License 2.0

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." - Arthur Ashe

The late Arthur Ashe was the first African American to participate in international pro tennis. It is deceptively simple wisdom, and it sounds like common sense. You can only start where you are. You can only use what you have. And believe it or not, you can only do what you can. Considering how he spent his 49 years on this earth, we can learn much from his example.

Your Starting Point Should Be Your Advantage

Many people complain about their standing in life, and continue to complain about it until they’re blue in the face. Of course, there are still others that brag about their position in life as a birthright. Embracing where you come from and taking it into account in deciding what it will take to get to the next level is important.

You can’t change where you start. But, you change where you will go going forward. Each of us starts with certain advantages and disadvantages no matter our status. It’s important to understand that there are advantages - and disadvantages - to every starting point. Identifying those are an important step in beginning any endeavor.

In Arthur Ashe’s case, he started from what was considered a position of disadvantage. But he turned that disadvantage into an advantage in the end. He used his standing as an African American to a definite advantage. As the only black man to ever win Wimbledon, Ashe brought awareness to extremely important social issues, such as poverty and racial stereotyping. Beyond tennis, he became a prominent speaker. So, while he did start at a disadvantage in the eyes of society, he actually used this starting place. Ashe launched both a successful tennis career and another as a social activist.


Identifying the Skills You Need to Follow Your Passions

When it comes to using what you have, you will need to take your passions and build the skills necessary to succeed at the highest level at those things. It’s really best to focus yourself on only one or two things and not overwhelm yourself. In the meantime, you can brush up on complimentary skills in any number of other areas.

No skill that is learned or mastered is wasted effort. It can be surprising how a wide breadth of skills does far more than just give you stuff to list on a resume. Knowledge is applicable in ways you would never expect.

Say your dream is to be a baseball player. Obviously, there are talents needed to play baseball at a high level. These include hand-eye coordination and physical flexibility. It’s best to identify what skills you are best at, whether you’re more talented with the bat or with the glove or with the ball in your hand. That’s how coaches eventually figure out a player’s “natural” position.

But it’s still best to try playing everywhere you can. Diversifying your skill set only makes you a better player in the long run. And versatility makes you more valuable in so many ways.

Talent is not everything. Just like it’s good to try out all the different positions in baseball, diversifying your activities helps you become a well-rounded person. For example, playing a completely different sport could teach you training methods that you wouldn't ever connect to baseball. However, those methods may enhance the skills that you already have excelled in.

You can also study how coaches from all sorts of sports motivate (or demotivate) other players. This can help you to understand what motivational methods work best for you. These you may later use to help motivate your teammates and peers, as well. Turn your passion into something that can do a lot of good for others. This is the best way to build the skills to help you succeed, as well.


You Can Only Do What You Can

This is the most important  part. Yes, you really can only do what you really can. It is a sad truth for many aspiring ballplayers that you may find that you don’t have the physical skills necessary. Not everyone can rise to the highest level like Ashe did in his sport. Sometimes, determination and hard practice can help you to overcome physical limitations. But if you can’t perform, then you can’t.

Yes, even the best will have your off-days. Sometimes you just have to remember that you need to just use your yesterdays as learning experiences, and not burdens to be treated as baggage. But, eventually, you may find you're not getting better as a player. You need to not waste your time trying to improve at something you’re not able to. Recognizing that is the hardest part. Sometimes, it is for the better.

How can failing at your life dream actually be for the better? What you do is find something related to your passion. In the case of baseball, this could include working in a baseball front office. It could be working in sports marketing, or perhaps sports writing. You then take all you've learned through your failures and successes. Share those experiences and those skills you worked on to help others. That’s how you get coaches. And there’s nothing better in life than helping to coach others. You can be a coach in anything, believe it or not.

Arthur Ashe used his relatively short life to great advantage. He really did all he could. I could write an entire profile about him, but the obituary of him written by Robin Finn tells his story well as it can be told. Read it here on the New York Times Website.


The Takeaway

In anything that you do, make sure that you are always growing and refining your skills. Someday you may find yourself in a position to mentor others in whatever your passions are. By helping others that share your passions, you will find that your own passions will grow, as well. Just remember to turn your disadvantage into advantages and any advantages into advantages for not only yourself, but everyone around you.