If you are tired of always being busy and stressed-out, but not effective and productive, I have some things to share that I believe will help you today.

I read where Bill Gates, Bill Gates Sr., and Warren Buffet attended a dinner party and were asked, “What would you consider as the most important skill for success?” Without consulting each other, they all turned and said, “Focus.”

It’s true. With focus, you can achieve anything. Without it, you can’t do anything! Satan wants you distracted, busy, and overwhelmed! Why? So you won’t accomplish what God has for your life.

Many people aren’t laser-focused on what they want to achieve; consequently, December 31st comes around and they are disappointed by another repeat of the year before. They allow things to grab their attention, they waste time, they’re too busy, they’re stressed out. They never design their destiny. I believe when you get focused, you can deliberately steer yourself in the direction you want to go. But how do you do that?

Most people want to know what successful people do that makes them so successful. The more important question is, “What do they NOT do?” Success is all about saying “no” to the good so you can say “yes” to the great!

For example, I have clear goals for myself and for this ministry. One of my ministry priorities is to make an impact for the Kingdom of God in France. Currently, I travel to minister there twice a year; we have our books translated in French (Imagine Big or Imagine en Grand just released this month!); and we’ve given away over 20,000 copies of my French mini-book, You Are Valuable to God.

However, I receive requests all the time to minister at large churches in India, Nigeria, Australia, Pakistan and more. Although I would like to accept some of these invitations, and I’m very grateful for them, I know that I have to keep focused on France. Otherwise, I could miss what God wants me to do by spending so much time traveling to nations all over the world. Therefore, I have to decline these invitations at this time.

Steve Jobs was asked in an interview this very important question: “Of all the things you and Apple have built . . . what is the one you are most proud of?”

Jobs responded, “I am as proud of what we don’t do as I am of what we do.” He went on to say, “Deciding what NOT to do is as important as deciding what to do.”

What you say “no” to is what will enable you to achieve your dreams. This is true for companies, ministries, and individuals. You will constantly have competing desires trying to steal your focus! The master skill of success is knowing when to say “no.”

What do you need to start saying “no” to in order to achieve your dreams and goals? Do you need to say “no” to babysitting on the weekends or the overtime hours you’re putting in so you can finish writing your manuscript? Do you need to say “no” to eating out with friends so you can save the money to put towards your debt? What do you need to say “no” to?

The Bible says, “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” How many of his ways? All of them. Focus makes you single-minded, and according to this scripture, focus will make you stable in all your ways.

You’ve probably recognized that in life there are always new demands and responsibilities pulling for your time, attention, and resources. It is easy to get so busy doing things (even good things) that you miss out on doing what God ultimately wants you to focus on doing.

How can you apply this in your life? Rather than having five rooms in your house cluttered and messy, focus on organizing one room. Rather than having ideas for three different books to write, start writing one and finish it. It’s better to have one book completed that can affect lives rather than three unfinished books helping no one.

I also want to challenge you to focus on one skill that will help you the most in achieving your dreams. Joel Osteen has said how in his beginning days as pastor of Lakewood Church, he was overwhelmed with everything he was doing. From weddings, baptisms, funerals, editing the broadcast, and preaching each week, everything was at a standstill. He was trying to do it all.

He finally had to stop and think, What’s the ONE thing that I do that contributes the most to what God wants? It was the Sunday morning message. He had to stop doing many other things so he could focus on that one skill that impacted the larger vision.

Practicing the principles in this message has completely changed my life and ministry from being busy to making a real difference . . . and I believe it can do the same for you.

You can remove the distractions that are preventing you from doing what’s in your heart. You can get focused and achieve your God-given dreams.