TODAY’S TONIC: “If you chase two rabbits, both will escape.” By Duke Akamisoko

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“If you chase two rabbits, both will escape.”
This is the English version of the French proverb: “Qui chasse deux lièvres n’en prend pas un”, He who chases two hares, catches none. It means that you chase too many prizes, at your peril and you’ll often come up empty handed!

The proverb “If you chase two rabbits, you will lose them both” emphasizes the idea that pursuing multiple goals or tasks simultaneously can lead to failure in achieving any of them. The origin of this saying can be traced to various cultures, but it is most commonly associated with Russian and Chinese folklore.
In Russian culture, the proverb reflects a broader theme of focus and determination. It suggests that dividing one’s attention can result in a lack of success in any endeavor. This sentiment is echoed in similar sayings from other cultures, emphasizing the importance of prioritization and commitment.
The specific imagery of chasing rabbits likely serves to illustrate the futility of trying to capture multiple elusive goals at once. The proverb encourages individuals to concentrate on one objective at a time to increase the chances of success.
Overall, while the exact origin may be difficult to pinpoint, the wisdom it conveys is universally recognized across different cultures and languages. Yes, The actual phrase and variations have been around for centuries and could possibly be attributed to Confucius.
Dogs like to chase things. In this case, let’s say we have a dog which likes to chase rabbits. Two rabbits pop-up suddenly, the dog takes off after them. The rabbits split off in two directions. The dog takes off after one, then notices the other arcing toward him, so he changes direction. Both rabbits are zigging and zagging; the dog keeps changing his mind about which rabbit would be easier to catch. In the end, both rabbits get away.
Such is life. We often get caught up in activities which divide our time and our attention. Because our time and our attention is divided, we lose sight of priorities.
Instead of dogs chasing rabbits, let’s say that a person’s life goal is to become both a physician and a lawyer. Becoming one or the other requires an abundance of dedication to study and internship. If our person tackles one science at a time, he has a better chance for achieving his life’s ambition. However, if he attempts to tackle both simultaneously, he will probably burnout before the end of the first year, thus losing both desires.
The advance of technology has created a situation where we have too much information. We always have our phone to our ear, or looking at a screen… We are faced with many distractions. These distractions are as rabbits zigging and zagging. It is quite easy to lose sight of our intended target, therefore losing in the end.

A man who chases two rabbits, never catches either.
A preacher once say, “There’s a price to pay if we would gain spiritual wisdom, but there’s an even greater price to pay if we don’t gain it.”

You know the story of Solomon. The Bible says he was the wisest man who ever lived, but his heart turned from God. That seems very strange to me. How could the wisest man who ever lived let his eyes wander to the point that he had 700 wives and 300 live-in girlfriends?

The Bible says his wives turned his heart after other gods. “His heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been” (I Kings 11:3-11). To keep his wives happy, he builds them shrines to their gods and eventually started praying to them himself. Imagine the stress in Solomon’s life because of stress.

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How can we not fall into the same trap of division, stress, and “pulling away from God?

First of all, I think, the thing we give our attention to matters. Pay attention to the checks in your spirit. Romans 8:14 says, “Those who are led by Holy Spirit are children of God”. The Holy Spirit will “check” you. You’ll feel a prompting to not do or say that. If the Spirit wouldn’t lead you down a path, don’t go because you’ll be going down it alone, which will lead to trouble. Let me tell you, that’s easier said than done, or Solomon would not have chosen the wrong plan.

He allowed his mind to be divided like the old adage: A man who chases two rabbits, never catches either. It takes effort on our part if we want to stay focused on Godly living.
Solomon penned these words in Proverbs 2, that help us know how to stay focused and not allow our minds to become divided. I guess he knew from experience what works. God instructed Solomon to, “Receive my words” (Believe, understand, obey). Receiving is letting it become a part of who we are.

His next instruction was to “hide them in his heart. To treasure them”. He said “Incline your ear”. Lean over into and pay attention to what He’s saying. Be a doer not just a hearer.

But we can’t stop there. We must “Apply our heart to understanding more of him. Then, he says to “Cry out, lift up the voice for understanding” (for help). We can’t stay the course without help from God. Prayer is required. Prayer is an essential part of learning godly wisdom. He says, “cry” and “lift up your voice.”

And then finally, he says to “seek, search as if looking for hidden treasure”. To me, it sounds like Solomon was saying, “Staying focused on God (not letting our affections and mind be divided” is a lifestyle of leaning into God and learning from him. Falling and getting up.

In the parable of the Sower (Luke 8), Jesus teaches us that there are different ways people respond to his word. Some don’t listen at all. Others hear and receive it with joy, but trouble in the world, and their lives, make them turn away. Still others receive the word, but the cares, riches, and pleasures of life choke out any fruitfulness. But there are those who believe, understand and obey. These are those who bear fruit “100 fold” – they bear fruit 100 X what they sowed.

To not be troubled by division, it takes effort. It takes keeping our minds and hearts focused on what God says.

Remember what the wise old adage. “A man who chases two rabbits, never catch either”.

Matthew 6:24
Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon”.
Matthew 6:33
The Bible states that to have spiritual wellbeing and true prosperity, one must “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness”.
Proverbs 3:5–6
Solomon writes, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths”.
Other sources
Proverbs 2
Solomon wrote these words to help people stay focused and not allow their minds to become divided.

Brian Tracy
“The key to success is to focus our conscious mind on things we desire, not things we fear”.

Mark Twain
“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus”.

Lee Iacocca
“The ability to concentrate and to use time well is everything”.

Ray Knight
“Concentration is the ability to think about absolutely nothing when it is absolutely necessary”.

Bruce Lee
“The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus”.

“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work in hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” – Alexander Graham Bell
“The ability to concentrate and to use time well is everything.” – Lee Iacocca
“Concentration is the ability to think about absolutely nothing when it is absolutely necessary.” – Ray Knight
“The more focused you are, the more successful you will be.” – Tony Robbins
“Concentration is the secret of strength in politics, in war, in trade, in short, in all management of human affairs.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The difference between try and triumph is just a little umph!” – Marvin Phillips
“Concentration is the key to economic success.” – Calvin Coolidge
“If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up.” – J.M. Power
“The ability to focus is a defining characteristic of successful individuals.” – Brian Tracy
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. – Mark Twain
The future depends on what you do today. – Mahatma Gandhi
Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going. – Sam Levenson
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. – Albert Schweitzer
Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. – Steve Jobs

The only way to do great work is to love what you do. – Steve Jobs
Focus on being productive instead of busy. – Tim Ferriss
Don’t wait. The time will never be just right. – Napoleon Hill
Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking. – William B. Sprague
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. – Lao Tzu
What you do today can improve all your tomorrows. – Ralph Marston
Action is the foundational key to all success. – Pablo Picasso
Don’t count the days, make the days count. – Muhammad Ali
Wherever you are, be all there. – Jim Elliot
The key to success is to start before you’re ready. – Marie Forleo
Done is better than perfect. – Sheryl Sandberg
Believe you can and you’re halfway there. – Theodore Roosevelt
Don’t be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart. – Roy T. Bennett
Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right. – Henry Ford

The secret to getting ahead is getting started. – Sally Berger
Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. – Steve Jobs
Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort. – Paul J. Meyer
The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot. – Michael Altshuler
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. – Wayne Gretzky
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. – Theodore Roosevelt
You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water. – Rabindranath Tagore

Action is the antidote to despair. – Joan Baez
If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done. – Bruce Lee
Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it. – Henry David Thoreau
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. – Confucius
If there is no struggle, there is no progress. – Frederick Douglass
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. – Thomas Paine
Success is not in what you have, but who you are. – Bo Bennett
If you want to achieve greatness stop asking for permission. – Eddie Colla
Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out. – John Wooden
Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great. – John D. Rockefeller
I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have. – Thomas Jefferson

Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives. – Michelle Obama
I never dreamed about success, I worked for it. – Estée Lauder
Opportunities don’t happen. You create them. – Chris Grosser
Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit. – Conrad Hilton
Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. – Albert Schweitzer
Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value. – Albert Einstein

Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success. – Joyce Brothers
The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. – Vince Lombardi
Success is not in never failing, but rising every time you fall! – Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it. – Maya Angelou
The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere. – Barack Obama
Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally. – David Frost
I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. – Jimmy Dean

1. “STAY FOCUSED”
— Get It Done

2. “Focus on the solution, not on the problem.”

— Jim Rohn
3. “Ignore the noise, focus on your work.”

— Anonymous

4. “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

5. “Don’t think about what can happen in a month. Don’t think about what can happen in a year. Just focus on the 24 hours in front of you and do what you can to get closer to where you want to be.”

— Eric
6. “What you focus on grows.”

— Esther Hicks

7. “Always remember, your focus determines your reality.”

— George Lucas
8. “Stay focused, ignore the distractions, and you will accomplish your goals much faster.”

— Joel Osteen

9. “Don’t make excuses for why you can’t get it done. Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen.”

— Ralph Marston

10. “Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses.”

— Gary Vaynerchuk

11. “Focus like a laser, not a flashlight.”

— Michael Jordan

12. “Where focus goes, energy flows.”

— Tony Robbins

13. “Only through focus can you do world-class things, no matter how capable you are.”

— Bill Gates

14. “FOCUS – Follow One Course Until Successful.”

— Robert T. Kiyosaki

15. “If there are nine rabbits on the ground and you want to catch one, just focus on one.”

— Jack Ma
16. “Whatever you focus on is what you get.”

— Tony Robbins

17. “The time that leads to mastery is dependent on the intensity of our focus.”

— Robert Greene

18. “When you focus on problems, you get more problems. When you focus on possibilities, you have more opportunities.”

— Zig Ziglar

19. “Change your focus from making money to serving more people. Serving people makes the money come in.”

— Robert T. Kiyosaki

20. “What you focus on grows. What you concentrate on is what you see more of in your life.”

— Robin S. Sharma
21. “Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.”

— Robert T. Kiyosaki

22. “Starve your distractions, feed your focus.”

— Anonymous

23. “Stop managing your time. Start managing your focus.”

— Robin S. Sharma

24. “Focus on being productive instead of busy.”

— Tim Ferriss

25. “Focus is more important than intelligence.”

— Anonymous

26. “You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.”

— Winston Churchill

27. “The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.”

— Bruce Lee

28. “Nothing happens without focus. Don’t try to do everything at once. Take it one step at a time.”

— Dave Ramsey

29. “Focus does not mean saying yes, it means saying no.”

— Steve Jobs

30. “Channel your energy. Focus.”

— Carl Lewis

31. “The only reason men fail is because of broken focus.”

— Mike Murdock

32. “Focus. Otherwise you will find life becomes a blur.”

— Anonymous

33. “Don’t dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward, toward finding the answer.”

— Denis Waitley
34. “You always have to focus in life on what you want to achieve.”

— Michael Jordan
35. “Focus on the possibilities for success, not on the potential for failure.”
— Napoleon Hill
36. “Where you are headed is more important than how fast you are going. Rather than always focusing on what’s urgent, learn to focus on what is really important.”

— Stephen R. Covey
37. “People who can focus, get things done. People who can prioritize, get the right things done.”

— John Maeda
38. “Efficiency and focus are the keys to success.”

— Robert Crais
39. “Clarity affords focus.”

— Thomas Leonard
40. “The key to success is to focus our conscious mind on things we desire not things we fear.”

— Brian Tracy
41. “I learned long ago to focus on things you can control and don’t even pay attention to things you don’t.”

— Bryan Cranston
42. “Focus alone is not enough; putting in the time to commit is also crucial to achieve success.”

— Warren Buffett
43. “Lacking an external focus, the mind turns inward on itself and creates problems to solve, even if the problems are undefined or unimportant. If you find a focus, an ambitious goal that seems impossible and forces you to grow, these doubts disappear.”

— Tim Ferriss
44. “Focus on the solution, not the problem.”

— Walter Anderson

45. “The artists who endure are the ones who stay focused even after they have reached the top of their profession.”

— Simon Cowell
46”In business, staying focused requires that you turn most opportunities down.” — Margaret Heffernan

48. “A man should never be appointed into a managerial position if his vision focuses on people’s weaknesses rather than on their strengths.”

— Peter F. Drucker

49. “Where focus goes, energy flows. And if you don’t take the time to focus on what matters, then you’re living a life of someone else’s design.”

— Tony Robbins

50. “I can multitask very well. But I know exactly when to block off anything coming in from the outside and just stay focused on the film.”
— Arnold Schwarzenegger

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