Changing Your Focus

We accomplish much more when we learn to focus on others

There’s an old story of a young lady who was taken to dinner one evening by William Gladstone, and the following evening by Benjamin Disraeli, both eminent British statesmen in the late nineteenth century. “When I left the dining room after sitting next to Mr. Gladstone, I thought he was the cleverest man in England,” she said. “But after sitting next to Mr. Disraeli, I thought I was the cleverest woman in England.”

Disraeli obviously had a knack for making the other person the center of his universe, if only for the evening. If you practice attentiveness to others, you’ll find it does wonders for both of you. They’ll enjoy it; you’ll enjoy it. And together you’ll accomplish much more.

Make a conscious effort to think of others’ wants and needs before your own. Start training your mind not to focus automatically on what separates you from the other person. Rather, figure out what unites you, and how you can build upon that base. Soon such empathy will become a habit – a very good habit that will improve all your relationships immeasurably!

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