“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”
– Alexander Graham Bell
- Do you wish to strengthen your concentration skills?
- Do you want to know how to increase your focus?
Why should you care about improving your concentration skills?
There are many reasons why you should care. Improving your focus and concentration skills would increase your attention span, which is one of the most important keys to success.
How can you accomplish anything if you cannot focus on tasks and goals? Improvement of concentration is essential for success.
Alexander Graham Bell’s quote, mentioned above, explains well the meaning of the power of concentration:
If you focus the rays of the sun on one point, you can create fire. You produce a mighty power if you focus your whole attention on one thought or action.
Successful people can focus their minds on their goals until they accomplish them, be it money, fame, power, self-improvement, or meditation. With some training, you can do the same.
Is it possible to improve the ability to focus the mind when so many things distract the attention? It is possible, with the right concentration guidance and training.
Napoleon Hill Words about Concentration and Attention
“Controlled attention is the act of coordinating all the faculties of the mind and directing their combined power to a given end. It is an act which can be achieved only by the strictest sort of self-discipline.”
“Learn to fix your attention on a given subject, at will, for whatever length of time you choose. You will have learned the secret to power and plenty! This is concentration.”
“Keep your mind on the things you want and off the things you don’t want!”
Napoleon Hill’s words are good advice for anyone who wishes to improve concentration and attention.
You might like reading the following articles on this important topic:
The Power of Concentration
Concentration Exercises
10 Tips for Improving Concentration and Attention
I want to offer a few simple tips to help you improve your concentration and focus skills and learn how to enhance your concentration skills.
Tips for the improvement of concentration:
1. Don’t keep saying that you cannot concentrate.
Telling yourself that you cannot concentrate actually weakens your concentration. It makes you believe that you cannot concentrate, and you don’t even try to improve this ability.
2. Program your mind to believe that you can improve your concentration skills.
Keep telling yourself that you can improve your focus, especially when doing something that requires focus. Don’t listen to the doubts that your mind brings up.
3. Accept the fact that this ability requires training, like any other skill.
To improve your concentration, you need to train it, like any other skill. If you persevere and are earnest enough, you will be able to focus your mind on anything you want.
4. Make a deal with your mind.
If something is distracting your attention, such as emotional problems or unresolved business problems, tell your mind that all these problems can wait for a little while and that you will attend to them after you finish what you are doing.
If this does not help you, then write down what problems you have to think about or solve on a piece of paper. This will temporarily remove the problems and the distractions they are causing from your mind.
Additional Tips for the Improvement of Concentration
5. Do one thing at a time.
Jumping from one thing to another will only teach your mind to be inattentive and lose attention quickly. This kind of mental restlessness can be tiring in the long run.
6. Relax your body.
When you need to carry out a task that requires sustained focus, sit down and try to relax your body for a few moments.
7. Take a few deep breaths.
If you feel stress and tension while studying, working, or doing anything that requires attention, stop for a few moments and take a few deep breaths. This will relax your body and mind.
8. Drink water.
Drinking some water helps your mind to be less tense and restless.
9. Be attentive and bring your mind back to what you are doing.
When you focus your attention on anything, be alert, and when you find yourself thinking about something else, try to stay patient and bring your mind back to the subject again and again.
10. Focus on what you are doing.
Often, when you remember, try to fix your attention on whatever you are doing now. While eating, focus on the food you are eating. When exercising, focus on the movements of your body. When talking, focus on the conversation, and when working, focus on your work.
The above are simple first-aid tips that you can use in your everyday life.
Some Quotes About Concentration
The American business author and former management professor at the University of New Orleans, Michael Leboeuf, said:
“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.”
This is a good advice to adopt for the improvement of concentration.
“I think the one lesson I have learned is that there is no substitute for paying attention.”
– Diane Sawyer
“Excellence is in the details. Give attention to the details, and excellence will come.”
– Perry Paxton
“The power of concentration is the only key to the treasure-house of knowledge.”
– Swami Vivekananda
Would you like more advice on how to improve concentration? You can find it in our book Focus Your Attention.
