Here are the five most important points to keep in mind as you develop your concentration. Use this list as a guide for successfully integrating the focused mind state into your daily life:
- Emphasize quality, not quantity, of training time. Take breaks while your concentration is still good. This will leave you looking forward to continuing.
- Practice regularly. Your mind is like your body: by working out several times a day for short periods you’ll see better results than by practicing once a month.
- Initially, practice focusing your attention on objects or activities that you find beautiful or interesting. You can then build the power to transfer your attention to things that are less immediately appealing.
- Be mindful throughout the day by directing focused attention toward your ordinary activities. Then, when you choose to really zoom in and focus on something, your mind will already be calm, collected and prepared to produce optimal results.
- Finally, and perhaps most importantly, remember to smile and enjoy your “mind fitness” training. Build your power of concentration while doing the things you love to do. Enjoying your practice is an essential ingredient that will enhance your abilities and speed your progress.
