10.22.03
Some Exercises to Develop Your Concentration
1. “Concentration is the secret of strengths in politics, in war, in trade, in short in all management of human affairs.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
FIELDWORK: Give someone your undivided attention today for 10 minutes. No distractions. No exceptions..
2. “What would you do with a brain if you had one?” ~Wizard of Oz
FIELDWORK: Start a new distance learning course this week, or take a teleclass, or visit the eBook Resource Library. Choose something radically different. Lifelong learning is the key to Resilience.
3. I remember, as a dreamy backyard kind of kid,
tilting my head to watch those planes engrave the sky in lines so steady and so straight
they implied the enormous concentration of good men
(Tony Hoaglund)
FIELDWORK: Why do straight and steady lines imply the enormous concentration of good men? Email me your answer!.
4. “Concentrate, play your game, and don’t be afraid to win. “ ~ Amy Alcott
FIELDWORK: Write a list of 10 affirmations that say you’re not afraid to win without using “not,” “afraid,” or any negative word, i.e., It feels wonderful to win. Oh, and then use it!
5. “Concentration is my motto — first honesty, then industry, then concentration. “ ~Andrew Carnegie
FIELDWORK: Think of someone who has those three qualities. Interview them about how they developed these qualities.
6. “It seems essential, in relationships and all tasks, that we concentrate only on what is most significant and important.” ~Soren Kierkegaard
FIELDWORK: How do you know what’s the most significant and important? Ask 3 people you respect how they figure it out.
7. “When you write down your ideas you automatically focus your full attention on them. Few if any of us can write one thought and think another at the same time. Thus a pencil and paper make excellent concentration tools.” ~Michael Leboeuf
FIELDWORK: Watch an educational show on television this week, such as Discovery, and take notes as you watch it. See if you remember more about it.
8. “Enter every activity without giving mental recognition to the possibility of defeat. Concentrate on your strengths, instead of your weaknesses… on your powers, instead of your problems.” ~Paul J. Meyer
FIELDWORK: Take the VIA Strengths profile ( www.authentichappiness.com ), or the StrengthsFinder™ Profile ( www.susandunn.cc/assessments.htm ). Then sign up for an Optimism course. There’s one on my website.
9. “Concentration is why some athletes are better than others. You develop that concentration in training. You can’t be lackluster in training and concentrate in a meet.” ~Edwin Moses
FIELDWORK: Analogy: You develop your concentration in training to win the game. You develop your concentration in ___________ to win at your job. 10. “If you chase two rabbits, both will escape.” ~Anonymous
UN-FIELDWORK: Don’t know about you, but I’ve sure seen a lot of men have an affair, and then lose both women. Ouch. Let’s skip this fieldwork. “Schizophrenia” comes from the Greek words for “split” and “mind.” Keep your head together and concentrate! if something’s important to you, be willing to give it your full attention.
Susan Dunn, MA, Clinical Psychology, cEQc, The EQ Coach™. Coaching resources, tools and support for your personal and professional development.