The Art of Focus: How to Manage Your Attention With Intention
Source: Ann Demeulemeester
The ability to focus is the difference between success and failure. In this article we explore essential steps to manage your attention with intention.
The modern world is filled with constant distractions, so mastering the art of focus has become more important than ever. The ability to concentrate on what matters to you most, is directly correlated with your ability to design a life of freedom, fulfillment and fortune.
Fundamental to focus is having clarity of mind and channeling your thoughts, feelings and actions in a controlled manner. We call this managing your attention with intention, and outline a step-by-step process in this article to help you cultivate this crucial skillset.
Know what you want
The foundation of effective focus lies in a clear understanding of your desires. It is impossible to be successful if you are indecisive about your own wishes, dreams and goals. Taking the time to reflect on what truly matters to you, and how your values influence your aspirations, is the fundamental first step in being able to design your ideal life.
Knowing what you desire provides you with a roadmap and enables you to channel your energy towards the most meaningful pursuits. Not everyone needs a lofty purpose in life, but in order to be happy we all need to think and act in a way that aligns with what we want.
What are your deepest and most pressing desires? What are the things you want above all else? Don’t take for granted this basic exercise in self-inquiry as its the very thing that will fuel your progress in life. If nothing else, have enough conviction about what you seek to experience in your life.
Imagine the end goal
Before you can manifest any of your desires, you have to give form to them. It is difficult to focus on a wish or idea that is vague and nonspecific. In the absence of pertinent details, your desires can become elusive. It’s important to use your imagination to create a mental blueprint. Visualization is a powerful tool that can assist with this.
Paint a vivid picture of yourself achieving want you want and experiencing the fulfillment of your aspirations. As you consistently visualize the desired outcomes, your subconscious mind becomes more and more aligned with it. This alignment fuels your focus, helping you make the right decisions, navigate challenges, and stay on course.
Master your emotions
Emotions can wield considerable influence over your actions, so it’s important to manage them effectively while in pursuit of your goals. Positive emotions tend to enhance concentration, while negative ones often derail progress. Cultivating emotional intelligence empowers you to control your feelings vs. them controlling you.
The ability to self-regulate your emotional state is key to the art of focus. Start by practicing mindfulness to observe and understand your emotions. From there you’ll be in a better position to command and even change your emotional state so your feelings work in your favor.
Take inspired action
Focus is not confined to thoughts and feelings. At some point you will need to take action to bring your desires into fruition. However, you want to refrain from wasting time and energy on actions that aren’t conducive to your goals. It’s very easy to “make much ado about nothing”, however a focused mind is discerning and exerts effort efficiently.
You are productive when the habits and activities you engage help you make sure progress towards your goal, so must organize your life in a way that lines up with where you are trying to go. Anything else is a distraction that will make you lose focus and end up off course.
Ignore all distractions
Speaking of distractions, they are inevitable but you need to have mechanisms in place to keep them from derailing you. The first step is staying in sync with what you actually want and not becoming preoccupied with what others are doing. Comparing yourself to others is a sure way to become confused and diverted. It’s critical that you stay true to your authentic desires.
Creating routines that set you up for success is also a powerful way to minimize distractions. Consider how to structure your day in a manner that maximizes what you can get out of it. Daily routines are proven to support cognitive function, acting as guardrails to prevent you from falling off track.
Manage your energy
More than anything, the art of focus is really the art of efficiently managing your energy. Your personal reserves are vital stores of energy that can either be depleted or replenished by individuals, situations, activities and environments. You want to be aware of where you gain energy and where you exert it, and be sure to allocate most of your energy towards designing the life of your dreams.
Recognize that your level of focus is a direct product of your overall lifestyle. You have to intentionally direct your attention to people, places, and things that support the pursuit of your vision. Likewise, you may also have to detach from anyone or anything that hinders you.
