Find Your Center of Focus

John McNair

President & CEO Community Bankers Association of Georgia

In light of the past year and events that are unfolding before our very eyes, it is easy to get caught up in the moment and lose focus on what is most important in our lives. One can easily waste considerable time and energy worrying about things beyond our circle of control and influence. All of this can easily lead to increased levels of stress and exhaustion resulting in lost productivity and personal growth – and even worse – lost opportunities with our faith, family and friends. We need to continually remind ourselves what our center of focus is, or should be, so we can live in a positive and productive manner. It’s interesting how our past experiences can influence our living patterns, including the things that provide and shape our focus. For me, one particular professor from my undergraduate studies provided a major pillar in my ongoing outlook and focus.

Although I earned my B.A. degree in Economics from the University of Delaware, my passion throughout my college experience was the study of history. Every semester, I would search through the upcoming class offerings for history classes taught by Dr. Gary May. This professor was engaging and had a unique ability to bring history to life. Dr. May could discuss events of those times (late 1980s) and put them into historical context which made sense and allowed for better understanding of the material. I made it a point to fill every elective credit that I could with history classes taught by Dr. May. His teaching style and the lessons I learned in his classroom provided invaluable experience for me to understand the concept of cycles throughout time.

Cycles are defined as a series of events that are regularly repeated in some order. Merriam-Webster provides this definition for cycle: an interval of time during which a sequence of a recurring succession of events or phenomena is completed, and a course or series of events or operations that recur regularly and usually lead back to the starting point. Looking back just over 100 years, which is a very short period of time, it is easy to see multiple cycles that have occurred in the United States. Cycles have included great economic depression and great economic booms. They have included times of war, peace, national unity, division, and yes, even pandemics – multiple ones in fact. Dr. May’s teachings made students aware of the fact that no matter what the circumstances of the current times, it is highly likely that a search through history will reveal the fact that similar circumstances have occurred. Through study and reflection, one could learn how a situation was dealt with before and discover what worked and what didn’t and apply the lessons accordingly.

Regarding today, the fact is we have lived through similar times before. Our country not only survived such times, but we thrived. Throughout history you will find good leaders, bad leaders, civil challenges, pandemics, economic crises, and sometimes international conflicts. At the center of it all is the individual. I believe it is important during times of strife to identify those values and belief systems that make up our individual center and focus precious time and energy on enhancing those values which you identify. In other words, tune out the noise and focus on the priorities in your center: family, faith, community, and service. As individuals, the items in our respective centers are things we can control and directly influence. For me, my focus for 2021 and beyond will be to ensure my center of focus is aimed towards these important areas. I know this effort to maintain my center of focus will benefit me greatly and hopefully will help those around me fulfill their center of focus.

Finally, I believe the events of the current times are particularly difficult for our younger generation. They have not had the benefit of time and experience and with the combination of instant digital communication, they can feel overwhelmed and troubled. I strongly encourage everyone to consider taking time to counsel and mentor a young person to help them gain perspective and find their own center of focus. Who knows, you just might be the Dr. May in someone’s life.