“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7 (KJV)

Long days at work make me want to get home fast, but sometimes the journey on the road can be a blessing or a curse. Being in my thoughts wasn’t always the best thing, especially when there was a lot before me. In that moment, I was in my car and on the road when I started thinking about an opportunity that would unfold over the next nine months. The highway was calm, yet my thoughts weren’t. Preparing for what was ahead made me reflect deeply on who I am, what I want to accomplish, and the kind of impact I hope to leave in my profession and in the world.

The truth is, ideas flood me daily. Books I want to write. Businesses I want to start. Career moves I still hope to make. It sometimes felt like I was racing against time, and part of that urgency came from knowing how short life can be. I’m 46 now, and as a Black man, I recognize tomorrow is never promised. That thought drives me, but it also pressures me.

Balancing that tension hasn’t been easy. On one hand, I want to chase every idea at once. On the other, I know that rushing to do everything often leaves you with nothing finished. That’s where I’ve been living lately, in the tension between desire and discipline. It’s teaching me something important: focus.

Focus isn’t about ignoring your dreams. It’s about trusting that not everything needs to happen today. It’s pacing yourself, honoring the process, and realizing that what’s meant for you will meet you in time.

In higher education, I see this every day. Demands pile up, and priorities fight for attention. But not everything is urgent. Some things can wait. Some things require prayer, patience, and a clear sense of capacity.

That’s what Philippians reminds you. Peace doesn’t come from finishing everything. It comes from releasing what you can’t control. I’m learning that when I surrender my anxious striving and trust God with the pace of my purpose, peace finds me, even on the busiest highway.

Focus isn’t doing everything. It’s trusting that what’s meant for you will come in time.

Keep moving forward,

Dr. Key