Our World is filled with distractions – it always has been. And there is little doubt that those who achieve the greatest significance in life learn to manage them effectively.

It is certainly worth the investment to recognize them in your life and make the necessary life adjustments.

You only get one shot at life.

Our World has become a constant feed of information and entertainment. You take your smatphone with you everywhere you go.

You connect to the internet wirelessly from thousands of locations. You are fed messages relentlessly from advertisements on nearly every flat surface. And you are bombarded with a 24-hour news cycle.

The urge to check on your Facebook friends steals more of your time than the friends right in front of you.

And the opportunity to spend money on newer and trendier possessions divert you from using it to accomplish a greater good in this World.

In each case, the distraction keeps you from accomplishing a greater significance with your life.

These distractions cause irreversible harm in your life. Unfortunately, too often, they go unnoticed. Your life goes unevaluated.

As a result, you are lured by them away from true significance in your life. And your greatest goals go unmet.

Be mindful of the culture you are swimming in. All around us, nearly every moment of the day, messages are battling for space in your mind.

They are promoting products, messages, and world-views. Often times, the urgent voices will be far louder than the significant ones. Identify both the messages and their source. And make intentional decisions because of it.

Next time you desire to make a purchase, check Facebook, work late, or engage in a habit that controls you … pause and reflect. Consider the desire and the urge and reflect upon it.

Is it really the most effective use of your time and money or is there something more significant you can accomplish with your limited resources.

Begin to practice moments of solitude away from the distractions of this World. The more you cultivate this practice, the more comfortable you will become with it.

And the more comfortable you become with it, the more you will allow the silence to reveal your true heart, desires, and intentions.

Surround yourself with people who are living out your goals. Surround yourself with people who are accomplishing the greater goods with their lives.

You will find numerous people online who can encourage you from a distance. But they will never replace the interpersonal interaction with a friend right in front of you. Seek them out.

The things you own become far more of a distraction to your life than you realize.

You spend time and money researching them, purchasing them, organizing them, cleaning them, fixing them, discarding them, and replacing them.

Your possessions add more burden to your life than benefit.