Sam Horn - ConZentrate: Get Focused and Pay Attention—When Life Is Filled with Pressures, Distractions, and Multiple Priorities

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Table of Contents

When you drink the water, remember the well.

Chinese proverb

A nyone who has written a book understands why authors often thank a long list of benefactors. Friends, family, and associates sustain us during the couple of up-and-down years it takes to finish a manuscript. We are so full of gratitude when our project is finally finished, we want to make sure they know how much their efforts on our behalf are appreciated.

So, a heartfelt mahalo (Hawaiian for thank you) to the following individuals for being a wellspring of strength, support, and humor.

Cheri Grimm, my sister and business partner, for her wisdom, initiative, and balancing perspective, and for continuing to be there for me in more ways than I could possibly express.

Jennifer Enderlin, a dream editor, whose patience, insights, compassion, and expertise continue to exceed my expectations and fondest hopes.

Laurie Liss, my I cant believe Im so lucky to have her represent me agent, who brings so much to the table and helps me realize my professional goals.

Diane Gerard and Gerald Tomory, Shannon and John Tullius, Denise Moreland, Sara Harvey, Mary Loverde, Karen Waggoner, Gar DuBois, Ann Petrus, Maryellen Lipinski, Leslie Charles, Maggie Bedrosian, Sue Murray, Rebecca Morgan, Dorothy Douthit, Leslie Duvall, copy editor extraordinaire Nancy Inglis, and my sons, Tom and Andrew Horn. Thank you all for keeping me smiling, reminding me to practice what I preach, and for helping me ConZentrate on whats most importantenduring friendships.

Tongue Fu! Whats Holding You Back?

Have you developed your own ways to focus and mantain attentionno matter what? Did one of these ideas improve your effectiveness and youd like to share your story with others so they can benefit too? Is there a ConZentration conundrum I forgot to address?

As you can tell, I like to illustrate points with real-life anecdotes so you can see how to use these ideas in your day-to-day situations. Id love to include your tip or testimonial in my upcoming books and seminars. I know youre busy, so Ive made it easy to get in touch. You are welcome to e-mail your questions or comments to info@samhorn.com. My sister, Cheri (who runs my business Action Seminars), or I will get back to you quickly with a reply and a thank-you.

Did you like the quotes in this book? You can order the companion calendar Common Zense (complete with 365 thought-provoking quotes), along with my other books and tapes at our website: www.samhorn.com/books/tonguefu .

Are you interested in training your employees in these ConZentration techniques? Would you like a fun and fascinating keynote for your next conference? Id love to have a chance to present ConZentration or Tongue Fu! to your group. Call 805-528-4351 for rates, availability, a demo video, and a complete media packet. I would gladly tailor my talk so we cover practical ideas your participants can put into practice immediately at work and at home.

Sam Horn, Action Seminars
Attn. Cheri Grimm
P.O. Box 6810
Los Osos, CA 93412
Phone 805-528-4351
Fax: 805-528-2581
E-mail: info@samhorn.com
Website: www.samhom.com/books/tonguefu

What Is ConZentration, Anyway?

Every time I ask what time it is, I get a different answer.

Henny Youngman

I know how Youngman feels. Every time I ask people what concentration is, I get a different answer. Former New York Mets manager Wes Westrum said, Baseball is like church. Many attend, but few understand. Concentration is like that. We do it every day, but up until now, few of us have understood exactly what it means or appreciated the pivotal role it plays in almost everything we do. The following five definitions incorporate both the traditional interpretation of the word and my new approach to this all-important skill.

As you read these definitions, please think back to a specific time you experienced that type of ConZentration. Remember where you were and what you were doing. Re-experience how good it felt to focus so clearly and comprehensively.

1. ConZentration is the ability to be single-minded. Charles Dickens described a character in one of his books this way: He did each single thing as if he did nothing else. Focusing on one task can be a challenge because we often have many different things to do. Thats why its important to understand that ConZentration means temporarily ignoring less important obligations. Deferring other projects doesnt mean theyre not important, just not as important as the priority weve selected right now.

2. ConZentration is interest in action. What did the Zen practitioner say to the hot dog vendor? Make me one with everything. Can you think of a time you were so engrossed in what you were doing, you became one with it? Perhaps you were reading a good novel, playing chess, or gardening. Remember what an exquisite experience it was to lose yourself in that activity? Athletes call this the zone, that blissful state in which were not even thinking about what were doing, were just doing it. When were enthralled, captivated, or spellbound, we are in a state of flow, or as the poet Virgil observed, all aglow in the work.

3. ConZentration is mental obedience. Do you sometimes suffer from mind mutiny? One student laughed upon hearing this definition and said, Sometimes my mind acts like a rebellious teenager. I tell it what to do, and it ignores me. ConZentration is the power to make our mind do what we want, rather than letting it do what it wants.

4. ConZentration is cerebral staying power. Noel Coward commented, Thousands of people have talent. I might as well congratulate you for having eyes in your head. The one and only thing that counts is: Do you have staying power?

Bryce Courtenay, author of the best-selling novel The Power of One, was asked by a Maui Writers Conference attendee, Whats the secret to being a great writer? Courtenay replied in his dramatic, gravelly voice, Bum glue. Nothing beats sitting at your desk and writing until it comes out right.

Famous philosophers throughout time have arrived at the same conclusion: mental tenacitythe ability to persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragementis the key to attaining what we want in life. As Seneca said, There is nothing which persevering effort and unceasing and diligent care cannot accomplish.

5. ConZentration is mindfully managing our T.I.M.E. (Thoughts, Interest, Moments, Emotions). Please note the new definition of T.I.M.E. Traditionally, weve measured time in days, months, and years. Wouldnt you agree, though, that when wethink back over our life, we dont remember days, months, or years; we remember moments. Specifically, those moments in which our thoughts, interest, and emotions were fully engaged in a person, place, or process.

While developing the concept of ConZentration, I reached an interesting conclusion. If we reframe our concept of time, we can remove our compulsion to race through life. Instead of thinking theres never enough time, we realize we have all the time were going to get right now. We come to understand the best way to make the most of our time, is to make the most of this moment.

American psychologist and philosopher William James said, Our experience is what we attend to. In other words, our life consists of what we pay attention to. If we focus on meaningful, positive things, well have a meaningful, positive life. If we focus on meaningless, negative things, well have a meaningless, negative life. Yes, this is simplistic. It is also enduringly profound and one of lifes great truths. As Buddha said, We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts.

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