taking one's eye off the ball
Attention drifts elsewhere
Taking one's eye off the ball is losing focus on what matters most.
The image comes from sports where watching the ball is fundamental—a batter who looks away will miss the pitch.
In broader use, it describes becoming distracted from priorities: The company took its eye off the ball and lost market share to competitors.
The phrase often appears in criticism of leadership or strategy.
- forgetfulnessFailure to retain information
- mental lapseBrief failure of attention
- sidetrackedDiverted from main task
- lost the plotBecame irrational or confused
- attention spanConcentration time limit
absent-mindedness · asleep at the wheel · mistake · slip up · concentration · dropped the ball · failure · caught napping · daydreaming · fallout · oversight · missed opportunity · regret · unintended consequences · negligence · complacency · blind spot · tunnel vision
taking one's eye off the ballkeeping one's eye on the ball
Maintaining focus on essentials
paying attention · concentrating · keeping watch · zeroing in · hypervigilance
taking one's eye off the ballminding the store
Temporarily overseeing operations