The Power of Unfocusing

The unmentionable.

I wouldn't really suggest that you un-focus, would I?

One of the most debated topics in psychology is that of will power.

It is well known that focus is linked to the mental capacity known as will power.

The question is, can we strengthen will power or is it limited?

Surely the very fact you wear out doing meaningless tasks suggest the latter.

But I have found through personal experience, not to mention, at school I was labelled with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) that if I am bored my focus wains.

As I would have it though this diagnosis was my greatest asset for creativity and my greatest weakness for producing. 

"Know thyself" is good advice.

I found a key that made me a weapon for enhancing my creative side and that was being unfocused and then to be able to act on those creative insights I needed to enter a state of focus and beyond that, the dragon I always chase...the flow - a state of being where neither focus nor unfocusing exists and everything just flows.

But even in the application of those subjects I was interested in, did I enhance my will power or deplete it from the sheer volume of reading, writing, and learning?

Reading the work of Theron Dumont "The Power of Concentration" did help me but maybe not to the fullest extent as I only read the chapters that interested me, I find that quite funny. 

Over time I have strengthened my will power to an enormous degree from engaging in work I love.

The "work" is an act of creativity not just serving the function of a job. 

To be truly creative you need to have the duopoly of focused moments and unfocused nothingness. 

Enter the power of un-focusing.

It's where your mind can play with a multitude of ideas and your thoughts can run freely like the Euphrates river.

You can flip between one, two, or ten concepts.

Your imagination is the canvas, your thoughts are the brush and you colour the screen of your mind with beautiful imagery. 

You are a co-creator and as such are creative by your very nature.

It may not be something you embrace but you truly are are creative genius.

Let's say your forcing yourself to focus on a task and it's just not happening.

As force negates the very effect that your attempting to get from focusing...this is where you would un-focus.

Doodle. 

Draw with crayons.

Take a thought trip somewhere. 

Do nothing.

Be bored.

The flashes of inspired ideas often come in the moments we least expect them.

Not by forcing them out. 

The challenges and problems of your life are waiting to be creatively solved.

Creativity demands you give breathing room to the busy-ness of your thoughts.

Whilst sustained focus may run you low on fuel like a motorized engine unfocusing can, ironically, refuel your mind for the next part of your work.

Vaughan.