Focus and concentration

Some people complain that they lack focus.  That they can’t concentrate.  They are distracted.  But everybody knows how to focus.  Focus is built into the brain of every animal that ever hunted its food.  And into the brain of every animal that ever watched for stalking predators.   If you set out in the real world to do either of these things, you have no problem with focus.

If you can focus well enough on the “wrong” thing,
you don’t have a focus problem.
  You have a goal problem.

If focus comes naturally, why is it a problem?  Urinating comes naturally, too.  But people often ask about the route to the restroom.  The problem is not about how to do it.  The problem is about how to find the right time and place. 

If you think this is part of the human condition,
watch your dog when you let him out in the morning 

As usual, the problem lies with goals.  If you don't have any goals, whatever you focus on is fine.  If you’ve read about brain modules, you recognize that those annoying distractions get to you by way of brain modules that are not backing your current goal.  Or what part of your brain thinks is your current goal.  Or what someone else has told part of your brain to treat as you current goal.   Another part of your brain sees that goal as a distraction from what it wants to do.     

But I do feel motivated.   Focus depends on short term goals.  You cannot stay focused on a long-term goal that takes weeks or months to achieve.   Part of your brain can handle long term planning and abstract goals.  Other parts need short-term plans and concrete goals.  You can get the parts of your brain to work together by breaking down long-term plans into joblets.

Be sure that you have in mind (or in writing) something that shows you how the joblet fits into progress toward the long term goal.  The rest of the focus story is about motivation, goals, and getting your whole head behind you. 

Head Staff

Un: People focus more on where they put their urine than on where they put their efforts. 

Storyboarder:  We can imagine what would happen if they did the opposite.

Un:  It would make the world a wetter place.