Focus and concentration are very important in our lives. In my book Focus your way to Fortune I have enumerated in detail the vitality of these skills. Most people struggle to focus only because of their thought processes & the notions they carry in their heads.
Like most things, our failure to achieve something gives birth to a lot of myths. These myths have their origin in the experiences of certain people, which may not hold true for all. I consider these more like attempts to justify the failures.
In this write-up, we are going to talk about the TOP 3 Focus myths, which you must get rid of, in order to improve your concentration and focus.
Myth #1 – FOCUS is tough
FOCUS is easy, once you know what to focus on.
We feel the focus is tough because we are flooded with information and choices. In absence of clarity, we struggle to find the object of our attention. The way things are presented, we are attracted to multiple things vying for our attention. As a result, we can’t focus. The scenario turns on its head, once you get the clarity.
Let’s do a simple exercise to prove this point. All you need to do is just execute the simple steps which I am going to share with you now. Do it sincerely and you will practically experience what I am talking about.
Step 1:Look up in your surroundings and see what you can notice?
Step 2:Now look up again for all things which are black in color. Let’s test your memory and concentration.
Step 3: Done? Good job, move on to the next step.
Step 4:Now without lifting your head from the screen, can you list all the BLUE things around you?
I am sure you can’t because I asked you to notice black things which you did.
That’s what happens in life as well. Just like in step one, unless you get the clarity of your focus, you just observe the things. The shiniest object may attract your attention towards it which may not be the best choice for you. Once I asked you to look for black-colored things, your entire concentration shifted and you started searching for all things black in color. You were so laser-focused that you stopped noticing other colors and other attractive objects. This happened because you got absolute clarity . This proves that focus is not tough if you have clarity.
Many times it’s difficult to get clarity on our own and that’s where a coach or mentor can help & makes life easier.
Myth #2 – Once you master the concentration skills, you can focus on anything.
Just like perfection, this is another myth. Doesn’t matter how much you practice, there is a limit to the number of things you can focus upon. There is no endless supply of energy to your brain. Just like other body parts, it too gets tired. Using it beyond a limit causes brain fatigue.
So, instead of spreading your focus too thin by trying to concentrate your energy on multiple things, why not prioritize.
Decide which are the highest priority things for you.
For example, if you could only focus on three things today, what would you choose?
Use focus sparingly, just like money. Save it & invest it in things that will give you maximum returns.
Myth #3 – You can play with FOCUS.
Many people think that they can engage in multiple things simultaneously and be super-productive. In their obsession, they start playing with focus by multi-tasking.
Our brains are not wired to multi-task. Every time we try to shift from one task to another, we create attention residue, which slows us down. I have explained the concept of Attention Residue and DOTAT in detail in my book. Trying to multitask isn’t efficient. It’s much worse than monotasking.
In certain situations, playing with focus and trying to multi-task has fatal consequences. The irony, is we tend to be over-confident about ourselves when we do it but get scared when others do it. Consider you are traveling at high speed on a busy highway. You are in the front seat of the car, while your friend is driving with one hand on the steering wheel & talking on the cellphone with another. How do you feel?
Do one thing at a time and one thing only. Focus is singular.
The Way Forward…
Having broken these myths, now you have a clear path to greater focus:
- Take help of coach or mentor to get clarity, where you need to focus on
- Once you get clarity of your purpose, stick to it.
- Cut the distractions which can push you off the FOCUS path.
Remember that focus is easy, once you have clarity.
Focus on what is truly important to you & Follow One Course Until Success.
Cheers!
Lalit Hundalani
Peak Performance & Life Transformation Coach|| Best-Selling Author of 2 Books||Mentor
PS: If you are feeling STUCK and seek CLARITY of your purpose then just click on the link below to avail a FREE CLARITY session with me.
VERY NICE …THANKS FOR SHARING…