The Art of the Focus (1): The Basics of Strategy

How can one build or implement a strategy if he or she cannot stay focused?

How does one stay focused? Most of our associates practice various styles of internal martial arts to improve their concentration and to enhance their well being. Staying focused requires an incremental set of skills that takes a few hundreds hours to cultivate.

Performing the act of prioritization and looking at a worksheet of tasks/objectives do not always work. Negative emotional feelings and unanticipated interruption have a tendency of mis-focusing one's concentration and awareness.

Some of our associates recommended the practice of Taijiquan and other internal martial art systems (Yiquan, Aikido, etc.) as a way to stay focused.

To stay focused, the internal martial art systems emphasize the following three points:

• centering oneself to the ground;
• feeling relaxed, grounded, calm and whole; and finally
• extending oneself to a specific target point.

Every professional has their own set of tricks (or mind hacks) that enables him or her to stay focused while avoiding contentment.

What is in your mental tool box of tricks and hacks? What is your "staying focused" strategy?

One can find more information on the topic of internal martial arts at Cook Ding's kitchen, Smiling Tiger Martial Arts , Chinafrominside.com, The Wushucentre.net and emptyflower.net.