I was sitting in a church with my wife right before Christmas watching our daughters in their preschool holiday program. Just like any other proud parents we had the video camera recording everything. We could not wait to see this award winning performance.

During a short break in the action, I reached down into my coat pocket and to my surprise could not find my Blackberry. Even though I was technically speaking – “off” that day, I wanted to make sure I was somewhat connected to what was going on with a specific project. I spent the last fifteen minutes of the performance preoccupied and wondering where I had lost it. Was it in the car? Did I leave it at home? Was it in the bathroom here in the church? Do I need to jump on that conference call just in case?

I was not “present” during the most important part of the performance with the whereabouts of the device weighing heavily on my mind. Later that day after locating it, I was not able to remember details about the big close or end of the show. In a sense, I felt as though I had let my girls down in not being totally focused. The sad part is I know they could sense it because I am not a good actor. They deserved better and I expected more of myself.

This was becoming all to common for me and was starting to become what I considered problematic. I have had my fair share of not being present in my girl’s activities. During an art session, they went as far as to draw a picture of me at the table typing on my Blackberry while everyone else in the picture was eating dinner.

So what does this all mean and how can it help you? I happened to pick up a book at the library entitled Winning Every Day by Lou Holtz the amazing football coach and sports commentator. W-I-N is a phrase made popular in the book. He talks about almost drowning by getting stuck under a raft while white water rafting. All he could think about while under water was What’s Important Now or W-I-N. This thought and how he reacted to it got him out of that situation. He went on to use the phrase and acronym as a motivational tool in his coaching success.

If only I had asked myself that question during the show. I definitely would have stayed focused and would have been present.  In fact, using this phrase in every daily encounter personal or professional makes sense. This year I will W-I-N or ask myself “What’s Important Now” in reaching my goals so as to avoid wasting time on the trivial. Are you focused on W-I-Nning already or will you W-I-N in 2011?