These 3 things are KILLING your focus (and drive)

[WiseDragon]

The ability to focus is extremely important like we all know, I'd say that once you're able to obtain a great level of focus you've already done a lot in terms of advancement. The ability to keep your mind focused and free of thoughts for long periods of time is the basic requirement to develop every spiritual skill and ability, this sounds easy but everybody who actually tried to do it knows how hard and frustrating it can be.

Many people for example often say that they can't visualize, but they don't realize that their real problem is the inability to focus. They cannot focus for more than 10 seconds without thoughts coming in, and they wonder why they can't visualize. Visualization, like every other spiritual skill, needs continuous and unwavering focus to be performed at a high level.

Some of you after meditating for a long time, and even having talent in this area, like for example positions like Mercury in Scorpio, Mercury/Pluto etc. might still have an hard time focusing, and you don't really understand why. I hope this post helps you.

These three very common habits are EXTREMELY bad for your ability to focus:

1) Porn use/excessive masturbation: This can sound strange, but it's very true, and proven. Porn use damages the brain, causes brain fog and destroys your ability to focus. The difference you will notice once you quit porn will be incredible. I know many people are very addicted, and will probably be angry and prefer denying this instead of actually quitting it.

Porn is a real drug, it releases excessive amounts of dopamine and fries your reward system. Basically meaning that it kills your drive and motivation, all your brain will seek will be more and more dopamine from porn, and it won't be interested in the real world. Nothing in real life will give you more dopamine than porn, so everything will suck basically. Porn also creates depression and anxiety. I was very brief here, you can do your own research about how destructive porn is, one site is 'Your Brain on Porn' if I remember correctly, start from there.

2) Excessive screen time: Not all types of screen time are the same, what I'm talking about here specifically is social media and shorts. Meaning when you mindlessly keep scrolling and scrolling and you always watch 10 seconds videos and then you scroll to the next. This kills your attention span. Reading online, watching long videos, films etc. is nowhere near as harmful, but you still want to reduce your screen time if all you do is being online, and you are being very lazy in real life. The fact is that social media also releases lots of dopamine in the brain, again frying your reward system. Once you quit you will notice a big difference in your meditations.

3) Excessive sugar consumption: These days the excessive use of sugar has been normalized, but there is nothing natural about it. Excessive sugar consumption is terrible, and I mean TERRIBLE for your health, for you energy levels and ultimately for your focus and concentration.

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The fact about all these three things that I mentioned is that they are very addictive, and it can be brutally hard to reduce them for many people. I also want to mention flatlines, the first few weeks will feel horrible, you will have severe withdrawal symptoms, if you were very addicted. Many people crumble and quit, because they don't know that once the flatline will be gone, they will feel amazing.

As far as focus goes, you will notice an incredible difference. My advice is to quit porn completely, quit social media and reduce sugar as much as you can.

 

[Alexandros Iowno [JG]]

Focus is like a muscle and at first, must be incentivized by purposeful interest. You have to desire and create interest and in time develop disciplinary movements.

This is a real problem with many people and it requires correction. It stems from many factors of life and also creates many negative outcomes.

Unfortunately, unless there is concrete pain from this, most people do not understand the entropy of their own mind and power. A lack of self realization here is also a problem.

 

[Lmnop]

Focus is like a muscle and at first, must be incentivized by purposeful interest. You have to desire and create interest and in time develop disciplinary movements.

This is a real problem with many people and it requires correction. It stems from many factors of life and also creates many negative outcomes.

Unfortunately, unless there is concrete pain from this, most people do not understand the entropy of their own mind and power. A lack of self realization here is also a problem.

You are absolutely right, and I personally have come to the grand realization lately that meditation is all about this. You could call it focus, or concentrating or controlling your will. It gets easier the more you do it, and even if you feel like you aren't having much success at first you will over time notice things get easier and more clear.

Porn relinquishes some degree and amount of personal power.. I can't explain it much better, but it's something I've noticed as a young man. It's a far different experience than being intimate with a partner.. and interestingly enough, I have noticed and would say that it's similar to eating a lot of sugar.. it triggers a surge of activity in the brain that through excessive use will gradually become more dim, just like the person's natural mental state will be, without the surge-triggering stimuli. That's how addictions are formed, obviously..

I have experienced dependency on a variety of things and it's not fun but it can be humbling and teach you a lesson when you have to go through an uncomfortable period to revert back to normal. The grass is greener on the other side and we learn to appreciate what we have through experiences like this, if we are strong enough to overcome the addiction or dependency.

Destructive forces indeed, but for the spiritually weak or devoid, life is all about vices.