Great People Works

In chemistry, concentration refers to how much of one substance is mixed with another substance, which is a useful concept to use when thinking about improving your powers of concentration. In order to improve your ability to concentrate you must reduce the mix of substances or things you are thinking about in order to increase focus on a single thing. This may be a daunting task for most of us because as soon as we think about one thing something else comes to mind and then something else and so on so that we may find it difficult to remain focused.   Just like our bodies respond to conditioning and training in order to improve performance, our minds work the same way. If we condition our mind to improve focus it will gradually get better and better.   In this blog series I am going to discuss five methods to improve concentration and the ability to focus.  The first technique is Meditation. 

 MEDITATION  - My meditation exercises started back in 1988 when I was experiencing a huge volume of stress working for a Vice President  who was a total jerk.  He reminded me of the selfish, emotionally immature bullies we usually encounter somewhere around seventh grade. In effect, he drove me to meditate although he certainly didn't suggest it.   A short time later while I was beginning to reap the calming effects of meditation and it's ability to train my mind to focus on one thing the Vice President was fired.  No, I was not consciously mediating on getting him fired although it certainly came to mind several times.  In my search for a way to relax and calm my stress I happened upon a book called "How To Meditate".   An inexpensive paperbook full of a variety of meditation techniques.  Since then there is even a book called "Meditation for Dummies" although meditation is something so simple it hardly needs to be "dummed down".  Whatever meditation technique you choose the real trick is not to expect anything special to happen but to continue to practice every day or twice a day of you can.  Think of it as learning patience while you empty your mind of all expectations.   It seems odd that to improve concentration instead of trying to concentrate we are instead learning to let go of our thoughts, to simply observe them like bubbles floating past us and let them float away.  To those of us raised on adrenaline rushes this is not always an easy thing to do.  The techniqueI like is counting backwards each breath.   First you must sit comfortably on a chair or the floor where you will be comfortable and have adequate support for your back and not cut off the circulation in your legs or elsewhere.   It is not a test of endurance.   Start with short meditation periods of 10 minutes and work up to a half hour maximum at a time. Try repetitively counting each breath down from four and than start over again. As I inhale I mentally repeat "and...and...and" and on the exhale "four...four...four"  continuing this pattern counting backward with each breath and each exhale being one number.  While you do this, sitting quietly you may have some very soft, background music playing, ambient musical composition are best and for a long time I had one that was a group of people meditating  with the word "OM" from the Environment series that I found quite helpful.  The background is to help remove distractions to your mediation.  In order to mediate in a quiet space you may need ear plugs or to do it very early in the morning.  

While you meditate continue your counting and observe your thoughts (the mix of other thoughts that come into your head).  As you observe them, gently imagine them being bubbles that appear and then float away from you so you that you do not follow them.  Occasionally, you will find that you do start following them and when you become aware of this, simply let that thought go and think, "I'll think about that later but right now I'm meditating", and resume meditating.   At first, you will find this simple exercise to be a real challenge and you will become aware of how much your mind jumps from one thought to the next, from one image to the next, from one sound to the next, smell, taste and so on.  You will think about tomorrow and yesterday and what you need to do today, but simply tell yourself nothing else is important as this very moment.  The only thing that is important at this point, at this moment in time is your meditation and gently return to it.  

Don't chastise yourself because you are not "doing something" more important, because learning to quiet your mind and control your thinking is the most important thing you will ever learn how to do.   You are 'becoming' through your meditation a more real you.  It's like growing flowers.  Each day they grow a little more until they come into full bloom.  It does not happen overnight.  Meditation in itself will make you more relaxed, more attentive and more 'present or aware" no matter what you may be doing.   You may lower your heart rate and  will feel better.  What you will be doing over a period of days, weeks, months and years is training your mind to focus on one thng and to empty your mind of other thoughts except what you want to think about.  Sometimes you will get inspirational solutions to problems you currently face, you may even have spiritual experiences.  Always stay relaxed and be an observer more than a participant while you meditate.    It takes some time as this is a highly effective but progressive exercise and it is well worth the effort.  With this training you will be able to calm yourself in seconds and remain calm and relaxed in situations that in the past may have caused you great anxiety or stress.  You will find yourself focusing better on what you are doing, your concentration ability will improve as you learn patience and increase your level of awareness of yourself, your surroundings and your thought processes.  It is truly amazing what happens to you mentally after a period of time meditating and while you may enjoy these benefits you must not "expect" them or be impatient in wanting them to happen.   It is a strange thing that the more stress and effort you apply  the less successful it becomes,   Instead, look at meditation as a time to simply relax and calm your mind, observe the thoughts that float by and resist following them.  Eventually, a variety of gifts will gradually grow within your mind, your health may improve, your outlook and your demeanor become more positive and you will find yourself being much more focused and productive.  You will find peace within...priceless.

Next in the Conentration Series - Technique 2 "The Power of Focus" -  To Contact the Author for a presentation, training or speaking engagement at your compan or group contact  Gregg, at 972-221-3504.