FOCUS:A piece in your success puzzle

By Mary McWilliamsFall 2014

O r : D o y o u h a v e t h e a tt e n ti o n s p a n o f a g o l d fi s h ?

A goldfish has an average attention span of 9 seconds.

How do you compare?

Research shows that:Attention span is

waning.Thirteen years ago, the

average attention span was 12 seconds.

In 2014, it’s 8 seconds.

(Source: US National Library of Medicine)

95% of people report they have trouble focusing.

Whether a fleeting idea, dream, or realization,

Most everything we do begins as a thought. The key is taking that idea and continually focusing your efforts to follow through.

--- Daniel Goleman, author of Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence and pioneer of the Emotional Intelligence theory

“… the science of attention has blossomed far beyond vigilance. That science tells us these skills determine how well we perform any task. If they are stunted, we do poorly; if muscular, we can excel. Our very nimbleness in life depends on this subtle faculty.”

Essentially, your

success is affected

by your ability to

focus.

Look at the picture on the next slide. How long can you focus on this picture?

What do you see initially?

How does the image change after focusing on it for a few seconds?

Multitasking: Good or Bad?Multitasking, long

hailed as a essential

component of

functioning

successfully, is

actually, according

to Goleman, the

“bane of efficiency.”

“Routine disruptions from a given focus at work can mean minutes lost to the original task. It can take 10-15 minutes to regain full focus(p. 203).”

On the other hand,Goleman says, “Failure to drop one focus and

move on to others can, for example, leave the mind lost in repeating loops of chronic anxiety. The power to disengage our attention from one thing to move it to another is essential for well-being.”

Researchers estimate we have between 12,000 and 60,000 thoughts each day.

As much as 98 percent of those thoughts are the same every day.

The three aspects of focusGoleman identifies three different aspects of

focus:

InnerOuterOther

Inner Focus is aboutSelf awarenessKnowing ourselves

Being in touch with our emotions

Tapping into our intuition

Outer awareness/focus is aboutApplying the

understanding of ourselves to others

Knowing how to read and relate to those around us.

Other focus Concentrates on

being able to read:SystemsOrganizationsMovements

SuccessOften depends upon the ability to balance all

three forms of focus.

First, you need a sense of awareness of WHEN and WHY you lose focus.

According to Goleman, the more aware you are of when your mind starts wandering, your tendency to wander becomes weaker because you are more engaged in bringing your focus back to the issue you are addressing. Studying monks and meditation has brought this to realization.

Simple ways to help focus:Set aside time to

focus and time to refresh (especially when studying)

Silence the phoneClear your work

area of distractionsGet comfortable in

your work area

Put on earphones to block out noise

Make a short list of what you want to accomplish each day and stick to it.

Train your brain in mindfulness by focusing on one thing for 5-15 minutes.

Reward yourself.

Your success is counting on you!

This presentation is based on:

Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence by Daniel Goleman

Building Your Business: Flexing Your Mental Muscles by Jean Bailey. In AMTA Massage Therapy Journal, Summer 2014 vol 53 (no. 2), pp. 29-32.