There are many temptations to organize our life around the experience of earlier trauma. But that may shortchange the future—which starts by our envisioning something better.
Posted July 1, 2022 | Reviewed by Tyler Woods
Our attention is distracted by the chaos of modern life. Hyperfocus is noticing what happens around us and deciding what deserves our attention. Our focus is a source of strength if we direct it properly but a weakness if we point it in the wrong direction. It takes self-discipline to filter and choose from the overwhelming information submerging us.
A distinguishing feature of all the great artists, from Constable to Warhol, was their ability to focus relentlessly on what mattered. Great writers like Hemingway and Virginia Woolf developed hyperfocus by always watching and making notes on everyone and everything around them. Musicians like Lady Gaga and Björk pick up sounds and ideas from the street. Their switch is constantly 'on.' They are always watching and searching.
For years, the University of Maryland football players wore heavy shirts under their outer padding (or "armor") during games and quickly became soaked in sweat. One player, Kevin Plank, found it a real problem, so he focused on creating an undershirt designed to stay dry during even the most energetic games. It was so effective that other players on his team wanted one, and then word spread to others. He started manufacturing them and, in 1997, drove around the east coast selling from his car. He called his company Under Armour. The last time I looked, it had over $4 billion in annual revenue. When Plank saw a glimmer of potential in Under Armour, he directed all his attention toward its development. Nothing distracted him.
Direct your attention like a camera lens onto what matters—then bring it into sharp focus. Your most powerful resource is your concentration, but most of us are busy squandering it on the irrelevant. With focus, you'll get stuff done and be more fulfilled.
In 2002, Father Bernard McCoy couldn't find a cheap replacement for his ink cartridge when his printer ran dry. He discovered it was easy to source the pigment from suppliers and fill the cartridges himself. So why not do it for others? In between pumping out Gregorian chants in the monastery of the Cistercian Abbey in Monroe County, Wisconsin, he started an ink cartridge-refilling business with the other brothers. The company, LaserMonks Inc., soon produced hundreds of thousands of dollars for their charity. Problem-solving is essential, but finding problems is an even more vital talent to nurture. It's a skill that requires you to be alert and always on the lookout for opportunities. It wasn't an accident that he was a monk; he was used to tuning out external distractions and using mindfulness to develop higher concentration. The ability to ignore the modern world's noise helped him focus.
Hyperfocus is the art of maintaining attention; it takes self-discipline to ignore the noise and look intensely. We solve problems every day but don't notice they could be significant. Solving a micro-problem often leads to a macro-solution, and hyperfocus is about seeing opportunities in the minutiae others miss.
Focus on where you can be most effective and what you can control. The ability to direct yourself is your main asset. What you choose to do and where you direct your energy is your choice. So point the spotlight on something you can solve and be prepared to say "no" so that you can say "yes" to what is essential.
This article is based on a chapter from my book, Make Brilliant Work
Judkins, Rod (2021) Make Brilliant Work, Pan Macmillan
Rod Judkins is the author of The Art of Creative Thinking and Change Your Mind: 57 Ways to Unlock Your Creative Self.
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There are many temptations to organize our life around the experience of earlier trauma. But that may shortchange the future—which starts by our envisioning something better.