If the Story’s underlying or central problem is seen as a disease, the solution would be the cure. The “Focus”, however, would be the principal symptom. Since the symptoms of a disease are often more apparent than the disease itself, the symptom is called the Focus, because the attention of the characters is focused there. Even if the characters are aware of the true nature of the problem itself (which they may or may not be), they will be more riveted to the immediate effects created by the Focus.
You can enrich your own story by having the characters focus on various symptoms of the underlying story problem rather than on the problem itself or even on the real solution to that problem.
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