Where You Look Matters





I was recently listening to a BYU devotional in which the speaker reminded me of a concept she calls "target fixation". 

"Have you ever heard of target fixation? It's the phenomenon that explains why we go where we fix our gaze. Target fixation is why skiers, mountain bikers, and motorcyclists sometimes plow directly into the trees, rocks, and other obstacles they try so hard to miss. In each of these instances, target fixation leads to disaster because their eyes are focused somewhere other than their intended destinations. Similarly, in our lives, focusing too much on anything besides the Savior can lead to peril."

As I was mowing the lawn later that week, the concept swirled around in my mind and collided with a memory of my dad teaching me that when you mow the lawn, you keep your eyes on the end of the row (where you're going) in order to get a straight line. If you just watch the ground in front of you, you'll end up with a wobbly line. 

A single phrase resonated in my mind over and over as I plodded back and forth across the yard. 


Where you look matters


Could it be that one can focus too hard on finding where one is going wrong and striving to fix it? 

By focusing on flaws and shortcomings, could we be focusing on negative, even though our motives are toward improvement and progression? 

If, on the other hand, we remain aware of our surroundings and circumstances but focused on Christ, a straight course is more likely, based on this principle. 

Somehow, something about mowing the lawn made this so much more real to me than it had been before. 

Where you look matters. 

I choose to practice looking more at Christ. 


I think this will involve a lot more not knowing. And being okay with not knowing. 

Watch this devotional here:



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