In life, we have the tendency to focus much of our effort and energy on the things with the least amount of importance. It is easy to get caught up in the minutia of the little things and let them consume us, while the things that we should be prioritizing take a back seat. How often do we hear our kids talk about whom they have to sit next to in class, when they should be focusing on how to bump up their grade in a certain subject? And parents, we are just as bad. How often are you looking at your phone or checking emails when you are out dinner or at an event with your family? If we were honest with ourselves, we probably wouldn’t like the answer.
Dr. Rob Gilbert, my mentor and a sports psychology professor, calls this “Majoring in Minor Things.” Compare it to a college student and his or her activities on campus. When they go off to school, some kids get caught up in the campus life, games, parties, fraternities and/or sororities. This leaves little time for studying, searching for internships, etc., and can ultimately lead to the student not reaching his or her academic or career goals. So check out the video above because Dr. Gilbert has a great illustration of what it looks like when your focus is not where it should be and you are “Majoring in Minor Things.”