3 Ways To Win The Battle of Focus

I received one of the most satisfying compliments I have ever received the other day.  I overheard a colleague and friend of mine say to another "James is definitely not ADHD".  While outwardly I pretended not to notice and carried on with my Email composition, inwardly I was flabbergasted.  Shocked.

The reason I was so astounded came down to an inward battle I have fought for years: the hunch that I may well live with ADHD.

I am hyper.  And I battle to focus.  I am an "all or nothing" type of guy.  Go big or go home.  I mean, I get headaches from shouting too loud at sport games.  Even the TV.  Heck, even from singing too loud in the car!  Yep... hyper!

And focus!?  Watching TV... I can't help but check my phone in case I have a new message.  I can barely read one page of a book without glancing somewhere else or starting to think about a new idea.  My brain is constantly fighting a deluge of ideas and information.

One day, whilst merely considering the possibility of taking Ritalin, I had a revelation; God created me this way.  I hadn't had a terrible upbringing in front of the TV, I didn't own a PlayStation until I was 17.  And Satellite TV was a luxury we looked forward to when visiting rich cousin's houses.  There was very little reason for me to have become ADHD.

Considering my upbringing, surely this was who God made me to be?

From that day forward I made a conscious decision to embrace the man God created me to be, but at the same time make a concerted effort to focus on one task at a time, without getting too caught up in thoughts elsewhere.  Focus on what was in front of me.

And it has paid off.  Clearly.

1. You Can Accomplish Anything!
I cannot stress enough the things that you are capable of.  If you put your mind to it, if you make the decision, you can achieve almost anything.  And that's a very small "almost".  It is for this very reason that my life's motto is "Dream Big, Never Give Up."  Dream it, see yourself doing it, and then never give up.  If you have the willpower to see it through, no matter how long it takes, you will see success!

The point is... in a world of information overload, we need the ability to FOCUS more than ever before!  Focus is a precious commodity.  And if you would hone your skill to do so, your proverbial market value will go through the roof.

And it's not that difficult to do.  It is simply a mental fight...

2. Learn To Fight In Your Mind
When conducting a specific task, stick to it.  Every time a thought comes to your mind to do something that takes you away from that specific task, don't do it!  Simple!

So if you're writing a letter, and your phone vibrates, don't check it until you are done with the letter!  If you feel the urge to check your Email or Facebook notifications, DON'T!  Push through the inundation of distractions, and stick to your task at hand.

3. Remove Distractions
If distractions are too tempting, remove them completely!  Turn the radio or TV off.  Close your internet browser.  Turn your phone off.

While these may seem a bit unrealistic for the type of day you face, I can assure you that it's not.  This is the kind of thing that looks really tough, almost impossible, from the outside, but when actually take up, is far easier than imagined.

At first, it will seem difficult.  But trust me!  A little bit of practice and you will eventually find yourself focussing on one task at a time with ease.

And eventually, friends will compliment you, too. ;-)

Have you ever thought you are ADHD?  Why didn't you check it out?

Are you ADHD?  How different is life once you've taken Ritalin?