Staying focused means getting those distractions out of
way that are keeping you from accomplishing what you want to. Life is full of ways to let ourselves become distracted. Pleasures and competing obligations are always calling to us.WHAT IS A DISTRACTION?
What IS a distraction? Take a look at this painting and learn what a distraction is -- http://www15.tok2.com/home/dorian/Greek/Sirens/draper.jpg! I use this painting, “Ulysses,” by Draper, as an illustration of what Intentionality is, an emotional intelligence competency.
This painting is an illustration of part of adventures of Ulysses, and, if painting has done its work, you’ve already gotten message!
There’s a man tied to mast – that’s hero, Ulysses.
Focus on expression of man at bottom center of painting, man who’s rowing. This sailor is one of my favorite images. Ulysses was on a journey and he’d been told that when he encountered Sirens at sea, they would seduce him and his men with their irresistible song no man could resist.
Take this as a metaphor for strongest distraction for a man with a mission, a man at work. And of course this applies to women too. This portion of myth is about DISTRACTION that disables intent.
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions" is an old saying. It means you can have all best intentions in world, but if you don't carry them through on them, they are worthless.
THE SIRENS’ SONG
Back to our myth. Ulysses was determined to complete his journey, and, having been forewarned of danger of Sirens' song, he put wax in ears of his men. He left his own ears unplugged, but had himself bound to masthead.
You can fill in blanks here by looking at men. The look on Ulysses’ face shows you lure of song, but at same time you can see Sirens yourself and one of these luscious creatures is right in front of this man who’s rowing. But he knows his job and he’s going to do it. That is to say, he has Intentionality. MOTIVATION
And what might motivate him? It’s Ulysses’ voyage, and Ulysses’ adventure, Ulysses who will get glory when it’s over, and Ulysses who never has to row. We never even learn names of his men, whose night jobs are to be turned into pigs on Circe’s island, and to be eaten by Scylla, sea monster, while their day job is to row.
