The first step to success

MADHUSUDAN REDDY share some insights on the value of concentration in bringing about success in any field, and also how to cultivate it.

“All strength is within you.  Believe in this.  Do not think you are weak. 
Stand up and express the power within you. 
The only weapon to express this is ‘concentration’.  Please note it.”

What is concentration?

To create love and interest for the goal you select is concentration. It is also enthusiastic eagerness and curiosity. If you do not evince keen interest in the work you select, will you concentrate?  It equally applies to education. The happiness and enthusiasm reflected in your personality will amplify your capacity. You can achieve success in any field with the help of improved levels of concentration.

To enhance concentration, develop absolute love for your goal, followed by education, industry, and maintaining control. There are no magical or mystic tactics available. Searching for an easy track to boost concentration can be compared to lighting a lamp to see the darkness. It is illogical and ridiculous to assume that concentration will be created without enthusiasm.

Recently, a few people have said to me, “I am not able to recall anything I studied.” Concentration and memory are interdependent. Variability in levels of remembering can be directly attributable to dithering and differential concentration levels.

Slapdash interest is the prime reason for loss of concentration. We watch a movie or a cricket match on television without any disruption or pause when we love to watch it. We don’t show the same interest when watching programs we don’t like. “Liking” and “disliking” play a crucial role in determining the level of concentration. 

How to concentrate 

To achieve healthier concentration levels, cultivate the seeds of good thoughts and deeds in the garden of your heart strings, by tidying and weeding out unwanted thoughts. 

To evolve good thoughts in your mind, follow the thrilling stories of great people.  It will push you gradually in a forward direction.

It is not possible to invalidate all the thoughts in your mind at once.  Even if you stop thinking for one moment, it is an achievement. So, catch hold of some good thoughts from the beginning. Then endeavor hard to accomplish success in your chosen areas.  You will experience tremendous happiness when you notice that unwanted thoughts are tossed out of your mind. This experience of happiness is unparalleled.

To achieve all this, try to learn yogic meditation.

Concentration happens when you thwart your mind from numerous distractions. Immense power is generated in your mind once you can concentrate. The power is spawned from within you. 

Concentration is possible when you focus on one thing. Then you will not feel overtaxed with work. Start by attempting it. Automatically, the practice will become a habit. Through continuous industry, you will raise your level of concentration.

Your mind has great strength and power. Just as the rays of the sun passing through a lens can ignite a fire, your mind also can surpass your expectations when it is concentrated on the field of your choice.   

Initially I believed that aggression must exist to achieve my goals. But with age, that idea has gone out of my mind. Aggression takes away strength; only with a quiet and undisturbed mind will you achieve the preferred results.

Our shastras remind us that extravagance in anything is hazardous and unproductive, whether it is eating in excess, sleeping in excess, or talking in excess. Great people have achieved success only by devoting time in silence.

To achieve healthier concentration levels,
cultivate the seeds of good thoughts and deeds
in the garden of your heart strings,
by tidying and weeding out unwanted thoughts. 

You may observe that control of your tongue is very crucial in achieving anything. You will control your mind if you control your tongue. It will greatly help you to achieve your goals with increased levels of concentration.

Simply, concentration is the power you provide your mind to make sure it thinks along the lines you desire. Try to increase your levels of concentration while listening in class or at work, the same way you concentrate on a movie or a book you really like.

Education and learning

While learning, increase your focus toward the content you read and listen to. The mind needs to be aware, and for this it is important to keep your mind clean, just as you keep your surroundings hygienic.

Then, apportion a certain amount of time to reading your book – an hour, for example – and completely devote your time toward that content only.  It is not effective reading if you are hasty and simply refer to the contents.

Concentration is required for both referring to and reading a book. Referring to a book may result in a certain level of understanding, whereas a complete reading may result in a much deeper understanding. This deeper understanding will enhance your interest in reading further. If you have questions, or require clarification, discuss with others. 

None of us like all things. All colors do not attract us. Similarly, school students may not demonstrate equal interest in all subjects. Nevertheless, it is important to try to give attention to them all, keeping the future in view. If you start reading with interest about a subject you have neglected, you may develop a fondness for it.

A well-known person who demonstrated these qualities of concentration was Vikram Sarabhai, the physicist and astronomer who is regarded as the Father of the Indian Space Program.  He conducted research on cosmic rays, gravitational force, and various planetary motions. In reply to a question posed by a journalist regarding the secret behind his success, he replied that it was possible only with sheer determination and concentration.

So, even a great scientist says that his work is possible only with the concentration! Some students become scared of studies, foreseeing difficulty, and the fear ringing in their minds will take away half their zeal to study and work. It is the prime reason for a decline in concentration. If we allow depression, complaint, and frustration into our minds, progress will decline. Meditation, physical exercise, and yoga are very important ways to maintain a sense of well-being and enthusiasm.

The major foes to concentration are living in the past and anticipating the future. We often do this. So try to remain in the present and concentrate on your agenda – success will be yours.

By concentrating all these powers, we can unearth all the knowledge in the world. We just need to be aware how to know. There is no limit to the talent of human beings. Simply learn how to focus it on a single point. That is the secret behind all this.