Being "single-minded" has to do with the power of concentration, it means being focused on achieving a single goal and oriented to do one thing at a time. The ability to stay focused is essentially your best tool for completing tasks and projects; it is a skill that you can develop with practice. Your level of achievement and success is up to you.
Steps
Step 1. Understand what it means to be "single-minded"
It is a term that describes a determined person, oriented towards a main purpose or goal, purposeful and resolute. Now you understand what it means to "be focused": to focus attention or energy on something. On the contrary, a person who is not concentrated is "inattentive", "distracted" and his energy or attention is "dispersed".
Step 2. Understand that there are positive and negative forms of being "single-minded"
Let's analyze the difference:
- Negative form: when a person is so absorbed in a task that he loses sight of the responsibilities that derive from daily life and relationships with others. A distorted view of reality is created in his mind. People who behave in this way are generally considered to be "self-centered" or "narcissistic", in a negative connotation. Often those suffering from a pathology or mental disorders tend to perform the same actions repeatedly. This is definitely not the form you want to aspire to.
- Positive form: it is the ability to remain impassive in front of distractions and to keep wrong thoughts away in order to be able to concentrate better. The desire to be "single-minded" will allow you to complete your projects in a more functional way and in less time.
Step 3. Practice with more or less common methods to improve your mental focus:
- The first step is to create the correct environment. If it's something you need to do while sitting at your desk, first you need to tidy up and learn to organize yourself better. Every time you dedicate yourself to a new project you have to start with a "whiteboard". Suppose you want to quit smoking, you need to create an environment to allow your desire to come true. In other words, on the day you intend to quit smoking, there should be no objects in your home, car and office that entice you or allow you to smoke, such as ashtrays, lighters, etc.
- The power of intention. It is a concept that goes beyond simply setting goals, it means understanding at a deeper level what you intend to achieve and then declaring it to yourself and visualizing the final result (albeit sometimes still in a generic way). For example, your intention may be to become a "non-smoker", complete a job assignment or write a university thesis.
- Optimize the physical state as well as the mental one. Evaluate "where" you are most likely to be able to focus and achieve your goal? Are there any external conditions that increase your ability to concentrate? For example, if your intention is to quit smoking, you are more likely to be successful by spending your free time in the gym rather than in a bar. If you are studying to pass an exam, it is best to do so in a private and quiet environment rather than surrounded by children screaming and running.
- Take small steps and set short-term goals. Always put your resolutions in writing. Setting milestones is an effective way to avoid feeling burdened with too many commitments and responsibilities.
Advice
- There is another truth: "By continuing to do what you have always done, you will continue to get the exact same results you have achieved so far."
- Remember that doing one thing at a time helps you stay focused. Advancing in small steps allows you to have a more creative and functional overview. Put the advice in the article into practice and you will see that your life will change for the better.
- Sleeping is one of the most important activities, but at the same time one of the most underestimated. Try to improve the quality of your sleep!
- Nothing changes until you change. Practice the steps in the article creatively. Remember that what you get depends on the efforts you make.
- Some uncommon but still very useful methods for improving concentration include the practice of disciplines such as tai chi, yoga and certainly all forms of meditation. Hypnosis and neuro linguistic programming (NLP) have also proved very useful. No less important is meeting the body's daily needs for vitamins and minerals and getting enough sleep.
Warnings
- You shouldn't rely on external aids like caffeine or energy drinks because they only offer temporary benefits. After a while you will experience a further drop in energy and the ability to stay focused!
- Don't let the will to be "single-minded" turn into an obsession. The key to long-term success is finding the perfect balance for you.
