The bee bounced from one bunch of flowers to another. It’s yellow body blending in, but it’s black stripes and wings standing in contrast to the yellow flowers it landed on. Spending no more than a few seconds on each flower, the bee was intent on finding what it needed, not deterred by the breeze or the other bees it had to compete with.

I watched the bee for a few minutes, amazed by how quickly the small creature moved from one flower to the next, even on the blustery day where the wind seemed to be working against it. It was on a mission.

I want to be more like this bee. Determined and not distracted by everything in life that wants to pull me away from the things that are most important to me — family, friends, adventure. Focusing on those important things, though, takes practice and persistence. It takes building small habits into a lifestyle that one day, if I look up from what’s right in front of me, has become the life I’ve always dreamed of.