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THE POWER OF CONCENTRATION by Walter G. Oleksy Book #21054 I S B N 0-89505-059-5 How to Capitalize on Your Most Important Personal Resource! Become more effective at work. Increase y o u r learning p o w e r in school, le more proficient in sports. A n y accomplished craftsman^br athlete ||ntial knows well that concentration is essential nteYrtly for success. T h e ability to «focus int on some project or activity could inde§d ir make the difference between winning and losing. T h i s book will s h o w y o u h o w to develop and s t r e n g t h e n s / o u r concentra tion skills. The Power of Concentration is above all a v e r y practical book, filled with helpful hints from experts, r e c o m mendations from educators, and insights from great writers, athletes, performers, and successful entrepreneurs. ARGUS COMMUNICATIONS A D i v i s i o n o f D L M , Allen, Texas 75002 U.S.A. Inc. The Power of Concentration By Walter G. Oleksy A R G U S COMMUNICATIONS A D i v i s i o n o f D L M , Inc. Allen, Texas 75002 About the Author Walter G. Oleksy is a Chicago-based freelance writer. He is the author of twenty-three books, a former feature writer for The Chicago Tribune, and an editor for three national magazines. M a t e r i a l q u o t e d f r o m M e l v i n P o w e r s , A Practical Concentration is r e p r i n t e d b y p e r m i s s i o n of to Better Co., 7 North Hollywood, California. E x c e r p t f r o m T h e Power of Concentration Guide Wilshire Book by B r u n o Furst, copyright 1972 by Lotte Furst & Gerrit Storm, copyright 1948, 1 9 4 9 by B r u n o F u r s t , is r e p r i n t e d b y p e r m i s s i o n o f D o u b l e d a y & C o . , Inc. C o v e r D e s i g n b y J o s e p h Essex v { ' v " f V Photographs by Jaime M o n t e m a y o r Illustrations by T i m o t h y M . C o n n e l l y FIRST EDITION ©1981 Argus Communications A Division of D L M , Inc. A l l rights reserved. N o p o r t i o n of this b o o k m a y be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, o r transmitted in a n y f o r m b y a n y m e a n s —electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, o r o t h e r w i s e — w i t h o u t p r i o r permission of the copyright o w n e r . Printed in the U n i t e d States of A m e r i c a Argus Communications A Division of D L M , Inc. One D L M Park Allen, Texas 75002 International Standard Book Number: 0-89505-059-5 ' 4\ V- J Dedicated to Eric & Sandy Carlson Contents 1. 'What, Me Concentrate?", 1 2. The Essentials of Attendveness, 13 3. How to Listen Better, 29 4. Concentration and the Learning Process, 45 5. How to Concentrate Better at Work, 75 6. Concentration in Sport and Leisure, 96 7. The Roles of Mood and Environment in Concentration, 11 7 8. Organizing Time, Work, and Thought, 135 9. How to Train Your Memory, 148 10. Learning from Eastern Disciplines of Meditation, 162 11. Exercises to Help You Concentrate, 175 "What, Me Concentrate?" Why should we want to concentrate better? Concen tration can help us relax more, to sleep better, to accomplish more in our work or leisure, in learning or teaching, in coping with personal or family responsi bilities, and in achieving greater rewards from prayer and/or meditation. Before we begin dissecting the subject of concentra tion, some general thoughts are in order. Since you may be apprehensive that this st