Harnessing your creative thoughts is a very exciting process. This is where you will take your new ideas and begin to shape and mold them into real possibilities.
As new ideas begin to pop into your head, write them down as they occur. Otherwise, you may lose the moment and forget the journey that your brain was taking you on. Start to carry a small notepad with you wherever you go, at work, in your car, to a restaurant, you never know when a new idea may enter your mind.
Have you ever had those moments in life where you had a sudden and unexpected clarity? Have you ever had a moment when things seemed to slow down for you? Perhaps taking a test and without any warning, you can suddenly visualize your notes in great detail to where you can actually visualize the piece of paper with your writing on it. You look around the classroom as if you are cheating, but in fact your mind has just opened up a little bit to show you it's vast capability.
It's moments like these that we want to occur more readily. In sports, times like these are referred to as the zone. I have heard baseball player's talk of how the ball just seemed like it was larger and traveling at much slower velocity, which made it easier for them to hit. In basketball, players get into such a rhythm shooting the ball, they say it seemed as if the hoop was twice its actual size. In golf, I have often heard Tiger Woods describe how he can visualize his shot before he hits it.
This is your goal. Are these people that just have an uncanny ability with super powers?
No.
They are simply people that have mastered the ability of focus. Focus, is the ability to take a moment in time and do with it as you choose. As a kid, I remember hearing my mom tell me to focus on schoolwork, or playing baseball, my coach telling me to focus on the ball while hitting. To focus, you need to block out all other distractions that are around you.
I have heard stories of when Tiger Woods was a kid, his father would take him out to play golf in the wind and rain; he would make loud noises as he was about to make contact with the ball, in an effort to distract him. He wasn't being a mean father, he was teaching young Tiger to focus. His theory was that if he could deal with this; he could deal with anything.
I understand that we are all not going to be Tiger Woods, that isn't the point. The point is that focus is a learned mechanism. Focus is effort. It is trying just a little bit harder to visualize what you want. It is blocking out the cell phones ringing during a test, or staying positive through the negativity of co-workers, it is keeping your eye on the prize. Focus is the ability to stay the course unwaivered in the face of adversity.
I understand that distractions are going to arise; the goal is to deal with it, move on, and stay on point. One very effective way to learn focus is to have a good goal structure.
Curt Fletcher aka The Likeability Guy
Author of "How To Sell More Homes and Increase Your Income"
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I have long said, "If I don't write it down, it never happened!" I have learned that keeping a short written record of my thoughts, ideas, "ah-ha" moments, let's me keep those to use later. When driving I use a digital voice recorder, it's kind of hard to write and drive (not to mention a bit dangerous!).
Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one Curt.