How To Concentrate

People who are able to concentrate completely on the task at hand are great achievers--brilliant professionals, big business people, executives, leaders in the world of finance, science, invention, literature, education—-it doesn't matter what kind of work. The point is that when these people pitch hay, they pitch hay; when they write a book, they write a book; when they manage a sales campaign, they manage a sales campaign. They focus on that one thing they do at that one time, and nothing else, and every ounce they have goes into it. But behind of all this has been a lot of mental discipline, a lot of habit-forming, a lot of brain-building. Let's consider some of the steps they've climbed.



Steps

* Relax: It may seem paradoxical that the first step to better concentration refers to relaxation, but there are many intense intellects who fail in their concentration because they never relax. Failure to let go between efforts is their chief stumbling block. They keep them-selves tense, nervous, "keyed-up" all the time, even when there is no need for it, thereby wasting nervous energy. They find it very difficult to "let go" or to relieve the high-tension by a little natural, wholesome relaxation. But we must learn to let go, to relax completely, before each period of intense concentration. Here is the working principle: Relaxation precedes perfect concentration. All great mental achievement has been preceded by periods of absolute rest or relaxation! During this time, the mind stores up fresh energy and establishes a reserve to draw upon during the hours of intense concentration demanded by the big task that lies ahead. Different people take their relaxation best in different ways, but, whether in complete rest, of play or wholesome laughter, it must come before any sustained effort of concentration. Nature itself requires cycles of growth and rest. Take your breathing spell before the battle.

* Free the mind: Nothing is of greater aid to concentration. In fact, unless you are able to do this, concentration is impossible. When harassed by the three devils, hurry, worry, and fear, the mind never has a fair chance to center on anything. But in your period of relaxation, you have an excellent opportunity to free the mind. Now is your chance to eliminate all mental handicaps and get ready for the race. Not only hurry, worry, and fear must be thrown overboard, but anything and everything that troubles you and disturbs your serenity and your peace of mind. Out they go! You should not indulge in day-dreaming, either, or mental drifting. Practice meditation. Clear the mental horizon; give yourself a clean slate to write on when your hour of concentration comes. And when it comes, if you have relaxed and cleared your mind, you will be possessed of that rare thing: mental poise.

* Find the right conditions: It's true that a trained mind can concentrate under any conditions—-in the roar of crowded cities or the busy hum of traffic, in the midst of telephone calls or a thousand and one other interruptions. But these people are already masters of concentration, and this article is addressing those who have not yet learned how to concentrate. Therefore, it's only a matter of common sense to make conditions as favorable as possible. Some of our greatest creative thinkers absolutely insist on right conditions and the right kind of a place in which to produce their masterpieces. True, good books have been written in mail, great poems written in the trenches, masterly speeches conceived on an express train. But in every case there was a degree of concentration strong enough to rise triumphant above the environment. Otherwise, keep the following conditions in mind:


Seek a quiet place free from all distractions (and noise is a terrible distractor), a place free from all interruptions which may break your train of thought (and a telephone is a terrible interrupter), a place where you can be alone, free from all outside influences (and a friend who "must drop in" is a terrible outside influence), and a place of pleasing environment, beautiful or otherwise, where the atmosphere is right for you. Preferences differ with the individual; it's all in the mind. One may do his or her best work seated in a luxurious chair in a beautiful and artistic study--another may reach his or her highest plane of creative thinking while sitting under a lone pine tree on the crest of a hill. Choose your own place for concentration. Use ear plugs, occupational ear defenders or even both!Solitude has always been, in all the history of mental achievement, a requisite for great work.
Solitude calls forth the mood of receptivity. Only then do we get the best. Great things are worked out in silence. Then come the flashes of inspiration—the new visions. History reflects the statement that to bear solitude well is a mark of greatness. And today, right in this practical present, thousands of our most successful business men have learned this secret...That by getting alone, they can gain new efficiency, and think out better plans for managing their daily affairs.

* Make a daily schedule: Your daily schedule helps to focus the mind, holding it steadily to one thing at a time and in the right order. Following a logical sequence tends to eliminate confusion. It's been demonstrated in efficiency tests over and over again that time and energy are lost not so much on the operation itself as in passing from one operation to another. So in our mental operations, failure to move smoothly from one thing to another results in confusion. And when confusion comes, concentration goes. A definite daily schedule is a wonderful aid in keeping the mind on the right track. It often proves to be the salvation of those who have been unable to concentrate. Try it.

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