Does your mind flit from one thing to
another? Do you have trouble focusing on
something for more than a few minutes?
Do you consequently have a bunch of
half-finished projects lying around the
house, and a dozen half-baked ideas still
knocking around in your cranium, and
thus a pile of regrets about where you’re
at with those things and in your life? If
so, what should you do?
Now if you went to the gym and tried to
lift weights only to find your arms and
legs were weak and flabby, you’d start a
program of weekly exercises to strengthen
your muscles. Well, your mind is a kind of
muscle too! And just like the muscles in
your body, your brain needs weekly
exercise to tone up the strength of its
focus and concentration. What’s a good
workout for your noodle? Well, I
discovered some interesting concentration
exercises in a great old book from 1918:
The Power of Concentration by Theron Q.
Dumont, and have shared some excerpts
from the book below, along with some
great illustrations from Mr. Ted Slampyak.
While some of the exercises are a little
goofy and you may look like a crazy
person staring at an outstretched glass of
water, you’ll have the last laugh as your
concentration power increases to
Professor X levels. Use this guide to beef
up your brain, or as inspiration to invent
your own concentration exercises. Now
put your finger on the side of your nose
and let’s get started.
Concentration Exercises from 1918
The rays of the sun, when focused upon
an object by means of a sun glass,
produce a heat many times greater than
the scattered rays of the same source of
light and heat. This is true of attention.
Scatter it and you get but ordinary
results. But center it upon one thing and
you secure much better results. When
you focus your attention upon an object,
your every action, voluntary and
involuntary, is in the direction of attaining
that object. If you will focus your energies
upon a thing to the exclusion of
everything else, you generate the force
that can bring you what you want.
When you focus your thought, you
increase its strength. The exercises that
follow are tedious and monotonous, but
useful. If you will persist in them you will
find they are very valuable, as they
increase your powers of concentration.
It will be necessary to first train the
body to obey the commands of the mind.
I want you to gain control of your
muscular movements. The following
exercise is especially good in assisting you
to acquire perfect control of the muscles.
Exercise 1: Sitting Still in a Chair
Sit in a comfortable chair and see how
still you can keep. This is not as easy as it
seems. You will have to center your
attention on sitting still. Watch and see
that you are not making any involuntary
muscular movements. By a little practice
you will find you are able to sit still
without a movement of the muscles for
fifteen minutes. At first I advise sitting in a
relaxed position for five minutes. After
you are able to keep perfectly still,
increase the time to ten minutes and then
to fifteen. This is as long as it is necessary.
But never strain yourself to keep still. You
must be relaxed completely. You will find
this habit of relaxing is very good.
Exercise 2: Fix Gaze on Fingers
Sit in a chair with your head up and your
chin out, shoulders back. Raise your right
arm until it is on the level with your
shoulder, pointing to your right. Look
around, with head only, and fix your gaze
on your fingers, and keep the arm
perfectly still for one minute. Do the same
exercise with your left arm. When you are
able to keep the arm perfectly steady,
increase the time until you are able to do
this five minutes with each arm. Turn the
palm of the hand downward when it is
outstretched, as this is the easiest
position. If you will keep your eyes fixed
on the tips of the fingers you will be able
to tell if you are keeping your arm
perfectly still.
Exercise 3: Fix Eyes on Outstretched Glass
Fill a small glass full of water, and grasp it
by the fingers; put the arm directly in
front of you. Now fix the eyes upon the
glass and try to keep the arm so steady
that no movement will be noticeable. Do
this first for one moment and then
increase it to five. Do the exercise with
first one arm and then the other.
_____
The purpose of the above exercises is to
gain control over the involuntary
muscular movement, making your actions
entirely voluntary. The following exercise
[is designed] to bring your voluntary
muscles under the control of the will, so
that your mental forces may control your
muscular movements.
_____
Exercise 4: Concentrate on Opening and
Closing Fists
Move your chair up to a table, placing
your hands upon it, clenching the fists,
keeping the back of the hand on the table,
the thumb doubled over the fingers. Now
fix your gaze upon the fist for a while,
then gradually extend the thumb, keeping
your whole attention fixed upon the act,
just as if it was a matter of great
importance. Then gradually extend your
first finger, then your second and so on
until you open the rest. Then reverse the
process, closing first the last one opened
and then the rest, and finally you will
have the fist again in the original position
with the thumb closed over the finger. Do
this exercise with the left hand. Keep up
this exercise first with one hand and then
the other until you have done it five times
with each hand. In a few days you can
increase it to ten times.
_____
The chances are that the above exercises
will at first make you “tired,” but it is
important for you to practice these
monotonous exercises so you can train
your attention. It also gives you control
over your muscular movement. The
attention, of course, must be kept closely
on each movement of the hand; if it is
not, you of course lose the value of the
exercise.
You may think these exercises very simple
and of no value, but I promise you in a
short time you will notice that you have a
much better control over your muscular
movements, carriage and demeanor, and
you will find that you have greatly
improved your power of attention, and
can center your thoughts on what you do,
which of course will be very valuable.
No matter what you may be doing,
imagine that it is your chief object in
life . Imagine you are not interested in
anything else in the world but what you
are doing. Do not let your attention get
away from the work you are at. Your
attention will no doubt be rebellious, but
control it and do not let it control you.
When once you conquer the rebellious
attention you have achieved a greater
victory than you can realize at the time.
Many times afterwards you will be
thankful you have learned to concentrate
your closest attention upon the object at
hand.
Let no day go by without practicing
concentrating on some familiar object
that is uninteresting. Never choose an
interesting object, as it requires less
attention. The less interesting it is the
better exercise will it be. After a little
practice you will find you can center your
attention on uninteresting subjects at will.
The person that can concentrate can gain
full control over his body and mind and
be the master of his inclinations; not
their slave. When you can control
yourself you can control others. You can
develop a Will that will make you a giant
compared with the man that lacks Will
Power. Try out your Will Power in
different ways until you have it under
such control that just as soon as you
decide to do a thing you go ahead and do
it. Never be satisfied with the “I did fairly
well” spirit, but put forward your best
efforts. Be satisfied with nothing else.
When you have gained this you are the
man you were intended to be.
_____
Exercise 5: Concentration Increases the
Sense of Smell
When you take a walk, or drive in the
country, or pass a flower garden,
concentrate on the odor of flowers and
plants. See how many different kinds you
can detect. Then choose one particular
kind and try to sense only this. You will
find that this strongly intensifies the sense
of smell. This differentiation requires,
however, a peculiarly attentive attitude.
When sense of smell is being developed,
you should not only shut out from the
mind every thought but that of odor, but
you should also shut out cognizance of
every odor save that upon which your
mind, for the time, is concentrated. You
can find plenty of opportunity for
exercises for developing the sense of
smell. When you are out in the air, be on
the alert for the different odors. You will
find the air laden with all kinds, but let
your concentration upon the one selected
be such that a scent of its fragrance in
after years will vividly recall the
circumstances of this exercise.
_____
The object of these exercises is to develop
concentrated attention, and you will find
that you can, through their practice,
control your mind and direct your
thoughts just the same as you can your
arm.
_____
Exercise 6: Concentration on the Within
Lie down and thoroughly relax your
muscles. Concentrate on the beating of
your heart. Do not pay any attention to
anything else. Think how this great organ
is pumping the blood to every part of the
body; try to actually picture the blood
leaving the great reservoir and going in
one stream right down to the toes. Picture
another going down the arms to the tips
of the fingers. After a little practice you
can actually feel the blood passing
through your system.
Exercise 7: Concentrating on Sleep
What is known as the water method is,
although very simple, very effective in
inducing sleep. Put a full glass of clear
water on a table in your sleeping room.
Sit in a chair beside the table and gaze
into the glass of water and think how
calm it is. Then picture yourself getting
into just as calm a state. In a short time
you will find the nerves becoming quiet
and you will be able to go to sleep.
Sometimes it is good to picture yourself
becoming drowsy to induce sleep, and,
again, the most persistent insomnia has
been overcome by one thinking of himself
as some inanimate object–for instance, a
hollow log in the depths of the cool, quiet
forest.
Those who are troubled with insomnia will
find these sleep exercises that quiet the
nerves very effective. Just keep the idea in
your mind that there is no difficulty in
going to sleep; banish all fear of insomnia.
Practice these exercises and you will
sleep.
Exercise 8: Practice Talking Before a Glass
Make two marks on your mirror on a level
with your eyes, and think of them as two
human eyes looking into yours. Your eyes
will probably blink a little at first. Do not
move your head, but stand erect.
Concentrate all your thoughts on keeping
your head perfectly still. Do not let
another thought come into your mind.
Then, still keeping the head, eyes and
body still, think that you look like a
reliable man or woman should; like a
person that anyone would have
confidence in…
While standing before the mirror practice
deep breathing. See that there is plenty of
fresh air in the room, and that you are
literally feasting on it. You will find that,
as it permeates every cell, your timidity
will disappear. It has been replaced by a
sense of peace and power.
The one that stands up like a man and has
control over the muscles of his face and
eyes always commands attention. In his
conversation, he can better impress those
with whom he comes in contact. He
acquires a feeling of calmness and
strength that causes opposition to melt
away before it.
Three minutes a day is long enough for
the practice of this exercise.
Exercise 9: The Eastern Way of
Concentrating
Sit in a chair with a high back in an
upright position. Press one finger against
the right nostril. Now take a long, deep
breath, drawing the breath in gently as
you count to ten; then expel the breath
through the right nostril as you count to
ten. Repeat this exercise with the opposite
nostril. This exercise should be done at
least twenty times at each sitting.
Exercise 10: Controlling Desires
Desire, which is one of the hardest forces
to control, will furnish you with excellent
exercises in concentration. It seems
natural to want to tell others what you
know; but, by learning to control these
desires, you can wonderfully strengthen
your powers of concentration. Remember,
you have all you can do to attend to your
own business. Do not waste your time in
thinking of others or in gossiping about
them.
If, from your own observation, you learn
something about another person that is
detrimental, keep it to yourself. Your
opinion may afterwards turn out to be
wrong anyway, but whether right or
wrong, you have strengthened your will
by controlling your desire to
communicate your views.
If you hear good news resist the desire to
tell it to the first person you meet and
you will be benefited thereby. It will
require the concentration of all your
powers of resistance to prohibit the
desire to tell. After you feel that you have
complete control over your desires you
can then tell your news. But you must be
able to suppress the desire to
communicate the news until you are fully
ready to tell it. Persons that do not
possess this power of control over desires
are apt to tell things that they should not,
thereby often involving both themselves
and others in needless trouble.
If you are in the habit of getting excited
when you hear unpleasant news, just
control yourself and receive it without
any exclamation of surprise. Say to
yourself, “Nothing is going to cause me to
lose my self-control. You will find from
experience that this self-control will be
worth much to you in business. You will
be looked upon as a cool-headed business
man, and this in time becomes a valuable
business asset. Of course, circumstances
alter cases. At times it is necessary to
become enthused. But be ever on the
lookout for opportunities for the practice
of self-control. “He that ruleth his spirit is
greater than he that ruleth a city.”
Exercise 11: When You Read
No one can think without first
concentrating his thoughts on the subject
in hand. Every man and woman should
train himself to think clearly. An excellent
exercise is to read some short story and
then write just an abridged statement.
Read an article in a newspaper, and see in
how few words you can express it.
Reading an article to get only the
essentials requires the closest
concentration. If you are unable to write
out what you read, you will know you are
weak in concentration. Instead of writing
it out you can express it orally if you
wish. Go to your room and deliver it as if
you were talking to some one. You will
find exercises like this of the greatest
value in developing concentration and
learning to think.
After you have practiced a number of
these simple exercises read a book for
twenty minutes and then write down what
you have read. The chances are that at
first you will not remember very many
details, but with a little practice you will
be able to write a very good account of
what you have read. The closer the
concentration the more accurate the
account will be.
It is a good idea when time is limited to
read only a short sentence and then try to
write it down word for word. When you
are able to do this, read two or more
sentences and treat similarly. The practice
will produce very good results if you keep
it up until the habit is fixed. If you will
just utilize your spare time in practicing
exercises like those suggested you can
gain wonderful powers of concentration.
You will find that in order to remember
every word in a sentence you must keep
out every thought but that which you
wish to remember, and this power of
inhibition alone will more than
compensate for the trouble of the
exercise. Of course, success in all of the
above depends largely upon cultivating,
through the closest concentration, the
power to image or picture what you read;
upon the power, as one writer expresses
it, of letting the mountains of which we
hear loom before us and the rivers of
which we read roll at our feet.
Exercise 12: Watch Concentration
Sit in a chair and place a clock with a
second hand on the table. Follow them
second hand with your eyes as it goes
around. Keep this up for five minutes,
thinking of nothing else but the second
hand, This is a very good exercise when
you only have a few minutes to spare, if
you are able to keep every other thought
in the stream of consciousness
subordinate to it. As there is little that is
particularly interesting about the second
hand, it is hard to do this, but in the extra
effort of will power required to make it
successful lies its value.
Always try to keep as still as possible
during these exercises.
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