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AN EXTRACT OF "POWER OF FOCUS" (2021) book - Written by Rounaks"
Let me tell you something that will change your approach to life forever. this just might be the one thing, the singular thing that's stopping you from being extremely successful at school/career. But listen if you cannot pay 100% attention to anything that you are doing then you cannot get a 100% result, "focus is the ultimate thing". You are at school where there are lots and lots of distraction you've got social clubs to attend, you have got people you want to meet, friends you want to hang out with, places you want to go. But then you've got assignment to do, you've got classes to attend, terms paper to turn in, tests to write, field trips to go on, and of course, examination to sit and all these things are screaming for your attention.
Many times, students get lost, swallowed up in the demands of school, before long, they start doubting at themselves, they start to ask themselves,
"Am I really cut out for school"?
"Can I really do this"?
they start to accept mediocrity. they resign to being average, content with the ordinary. And then they come out with a result that defines them in a way that is totally out of touch with their reality. it's not that they are not smart, it's not that they cannot get stuff done. it's not that they could not have aced all their courses. No, they are not the dullest students in their classes. they just failed at the one thing they never should've failed at - Which is staying focused.
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING
You can only get the results of the efforts you have put in, and you cannot put in the required effort if you do not stay focused. yes, you will feel like you have a thousand and one things to do with the smallest amount of time in the world. but nothing is impossible, stay focused you cannot give the excuse of having so little time.
Listen, every single human being on this planet has the same 24 hours that you have each day. that include the president of INDIA with tons of work at his desk, the neurosurgeon with hours of delicate surgeries to complete in the Clinic, the bank manager with several deadlines to meet, and we could go on and on. What you will see is that you are not alone with the workload on your shoulders and with what looks like very little time on your hands. and you know what?
Everyone still has to get things done, otherwise, they will fail at what they do. you have to understand that your experience in school is only a microcosm of what you will experience in the real world. do not buy the delusion that things are going to get easier and that you will have more time as you grow older. No way! except you do have the hunger for success, you will always have a host of things vying for your time. that is why this is the time for you to learn exactly, how to stay focused. this is a skill that you will use for rest of your life. this is the skill that will bring you success and keep you successful.
ASK THIS QUESTIONS TO YOURSELF DAILY
In the midst of all the noise, all the distraction, and all the attractions, what is that one thing that keeps you at night? what is that one goal that is non - negotiable for you? what is that project that is right at the top of your priority list? that should be the object of your focus. you have to ask yourself some questions about Career, ask yourself why am I here? what do I really want to get out of this? what is of utmost priority in my Real world? what are those things that I can and cannot do without? what are those things that do not contribute anything to my growth, academically or mentally? these are the question to help you to stay focused.
ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS
you must know why you are in school. not everyone is in school to achieve the same thing. because of this, you cannot live your life, like just anyone. Your best friend may be in school for a different reason than yours. It make no sense to follow their pattern of life at school, when you are not headed in the same direction. So first ask yourself, why am I here? what to I want to achieve? perhaps you have a certain Grade Point Average (GPA) in mind, or you are targeting a certain Competitive Exam, or a certain job, or a specific career. whatever it is, know it. Know the reason you are here and know what your targets is.
STORY OF ZEN MASTER
let me share this powerful lesson that a Zen master once taught his students. the student of the Zen master gathered around him anticipating another insightful lesson on the mastery of their skills. the Zen master began the lesson by asking one of his student to put a blindfold over his eyes, while he stood with a bow and arrows in his hands. there was a target several meters away for him. the student watched with excitement, expecting their master to make the incredibly difficult shot and hit the small target from where he stood, with his eyes blindfolded. And so, the Zen master raised the bow, pointed it towards the target, drew back the arrow, took a deep breath and let fly, it all happened within a split second. the Zen master missed. "what?!" the student couldn't believe what they saw, "Master you missed the targets", they informed their blindfolded teacher in sheer bewilderment.
the Zen master took another arrow, slotted it into the bow and pointed it at the target again. " surely, he was not going to miss the target again", the students thought.
Once again the Zen master took a deep breath and let fly, this time, he not only missed the target, but it was so wide off the mark. The students now looked on in confusion, somewhat Embarrassed to tell their master that he has missed again. But the Zen master knew he had missed, he simply asked for a third Arrow.
He took his time with his shot. you can be forgiven for missing the first, may be even the second, but missing third straight attempt was totally unthinkable. but again, the Zen master missed. Now the students felt embarrassed for their master, "what could he possibly tell us now ", they thought to themselves then the Zen master carefully remove the blindfold and knowingly simile at them.
He said to them, "you know what I wanted to teach you today? it is that "no matter how talented you are, if you lose sight of your target you cannot hit the mark."
Boom!!! now it all makes sense to the students, just like it should make sense to you too. there is no success for you if you cannot keep your eyes on the target. it is a target that drives you, it's the focus that guides you, it keeps you motivated, it steadies your hand, controls your breathing, puts your mind at ease, helps your brain think clearly.
In soccer, the coaches will always tell you, keep your eyes on the ball! you cannot afford to take your eyes off the ball, not even for a moment. the ball could be at the other end of the pitch, some one hundred meters away from you, but you must keep your eyes on the ball. the same applies to you. Once you can identify your reason for being in life, never let it out of your sight.
Write it boldly on a piece of paper and place it on the wall off your room. Wake up to it every morning so that it always there into your subconscious mind. so that even you sleep, you know what are you are here to do.
Staying focused will help you get rid of distractions. it helps you to see what is important and what isn't. you will spot those things that contribute to you achieving your ultimate goal and you will spot those things and pull you back. Once you can see the things that holds you back, then you can eliminate them, that is the power of staying focused.
light up your target with your vision and let every other redundant thing received the periphery. it is the power of focus that makes you stand out from your peers.
What Separate The Outstanding Student From The Average Student ?
What separate the outstanding student from the average student is staying focused. One student is crystal clear on what their goals are, the other is still trying to figure out what to do. No, you cannot afford to be the other student. Have you ever heard saying "A dead fish flows with the current"? When you don't even have tangible goals to Aim for, everything will look like a goal to you. Every idea will appeal to you.
That's exactly how people lose themselves, don't be afraid to set goals for yourself and work at them. Yes, the goals may change from time to time, but it is the fact that you are working towards a clear vision that really counts, it keeps you in order, it keeps your mind clear and empowered, it gives you directions to all the talent and skills, that you have been blessed with, because it doesn't matter how skilled and talented you are, if you cannot Stay focused on your goals and dreams, your talents will come to nothing, (whatever your dreams may be).
A Piece of Paper Cannot Define Your Future - Reality ?
let say you want to become a professional Athlete, or you want to become career entrepreneur. whatever it is, you still have to earn good grades. There's a lot of crappy motivational talk out there telling you that your grades don't matter, and then they'll tell you about Bill gates and Mark Zuckerberg who dropped out of school and became successful billionaires today. let's get this straight, your grades does matter, Bill gates and Mark Zuckerberg dropped out their school, because grades did not matter to them. they dropped out because at that point in time, their goals had changed and their focus needed to be redirected. You might get to that point someday, but trust me, you won't get there by flunking your grades.
There are lots of valuable life lesson to learn, apart from the technical jargon of your courses, just by chasing that "A" grades in school.
So stay focused on your school work. This means you'll take your classes seriously, you'll be attentive in every lecture, you'll engage your mind and your body in all your courses. you would do it because you can.
No one is better than you, No one is truly smarter than you. what makes the difference is Effort, what helps you channel the effort is your focus. Refuse to be distracted, Refuse to give your time to things that does not matter. Step out of unhealthy, toxic relationships that may be holding you back. "Tell yourself, I can do this" .
That's all
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