It often fascinates me how few people actually make the time to think effectively. I don’t mean in the car whilst in traffic or whilst making dinner. I mean engaging in actual, concentrated thinking.
Consider a magnifying glass and the power it has when it’s held at a specific, focused angle to the sun. The sun’s rays strike it with enough force to start a fire! However, if the magnifying glass is positioned at an angle to the sun, the rays are not focused enough and typically nothing happens.
When you focus your mind on something specific, Just like the magnifying glass, you engage in concentrated thinking and your energies are no longer blurred with extraneous thoughts. Only then can you actually open your mind and view things in a new perspective. This is precisely why developing focus thinking is fundamental for anyone aspiring to be more effective and take charge of their life.
It’s a highly focused, deeply intensive mental state of attention. It’s similar to the state you see your children when they are playing video games. It’s a strong productivity booster. High-powered thinking yields high- powered outcomes. It is really explosive. You can blow past obstacles and cut through a task with razor- beam precision. It gives your personal productivity an instant kick. When you concentrate, your personal productivity elevates rapidly.
Concentrated thinking necessitates a sharp focus of attention and can help you achieve your goals and operate more efficiently. But it isn’t easy.
Wallace D. Wattles, the author of one of my favorite books, ‘The Science of Getting Rich,’ argues that there is no labour from which most people shrink as they do from that of sustained and consecutive thought; it is the hardest work in the world.’ So we know that sustained and consecutive thought is difficult, but I am convinced that it is one of the most important things we can do.
The question is – how do you get started with concentrated thinking?
I’ve been thinking about how I can establish a simple system (I’m all about systems) to enable and support my own focused thinking.
This is what I do now – I’m allotting some time to fully engage in concentrated thinking For example, when I consider my business, I think about it in segments. how I can fine-tune everything as regards business. This is primarily about the team – both my direct team inside the business and my indirect team outside the business such as mentors, coaches and supporters. It also focuses on some of our key internal systems and I consider how these behaviours might be continously optimized for improved performance.
The second segment is about the service and product we offer, so I focus my thinking on how our product is performing and ask myself some questions – such as, “How may we add more value?” How could we improve it? How could we make the client experience better? I think about the core product and any ancillary products we could provide. Again, I am looking to fine-tune and continually improve what we offer in the market.
Finally, I consider our clients. This focused thinking enables me to identify, interact, engage with, support and help our clients. I think about how our product adds value to them and how we can serve our them better.
As I have stated, it’s about fine-tuning and making constant improvements.
During this time ,I switch off my phone and sit somewhere other than my typical working seat to avoid disruptions and distractions. I find this time immensely helpful to fully focus. I make notes as I think so I can go back to them and reflect on those thoughts, taking action where necessary.
It’s a simple habit, so try it; set aside time for thinking, it’s the hardest but most rewarding activity you can do!
Financial Analysis of Business Growth