Thinking recently about Steven Covey’s notion of focusing in your sphere of influence. Work where you are, that’s how I internalize this. I’ve long thought of this simply in terms of effectiveness. Actually, this is far deeper. What’s critical always lies within this sphere. One must complete the critical, our all else fails. We must hold our attention within. By managing within ourselves, the inner elements of our lives, other pieces come into play. When the core gets neglected, there is either fear of impending collapse, or the consequences of such collapse. Breaking free requires focus on the deepest, richest inner, most critical elements. Only upon mastering these, can other pieces of life become richer, deeper.