I’ve been told by friends and family that I’m good at staying focused on an objective. I wouldn’t have said that about myself, but after hearing it from a few people I spent some time reflecting. It’s true that historically I’ve been able to tune out distractions more easily than other people can. Sometimes I barely notice something that’s driving others crazy.

I’m a goal-oriented person, which has a big influence on how I navigate any situation. I think about it in terms of my goal. Will it affect my achieving the goal? If not, I don’t worry about it—I don’t put much weight into it and let it play out. If it will, I determine if it will help or hurt my chances of achieving my goal. I lean into things that support my goal and look to mitigate things that could hinder me from reaching my goal.

Time and energy are finite resources. This approach helps me focus them where they matter most: my goal.