Concentration vs. Awareness

Sometimes the littlest thing can make the greatest impact.

Even a single word can make a difference.

For instance, consider the word ‘concentration.’  Many of us were encouraged as we grew up to ‘concentrate’ in order to learn new things, and at first glance, concentration seems like a stellar idea. After all, it refers to the directing of one’s attention to a single point of focus. More attention paid to something should bring about better results, right?

Not necessarily.

When we direct our attention to a single point of focus we run the risk of becoming reductive in our thinking. In other words, by paying extremely close attention to one area, we can end up encouraging our mind to only let in information which we already deem to be relevant to that area. Reductive thinking essentially cements what we already believe to be true, rather than creates an environment suited to discovery and learning.  Reductive thinking may be useful for ‘quality control’ situations such as working an assembly  line job or matching our socks, but it’s not particularly conducive to creative endeavors (learning included).

According to VisualThesaurus.com, the word ‘concentration’ bears resemblance to words such as ‘tightness’, ‘compactness’, and ‘absorption’.  Concentration reminds me of a laser beam.  Laser beams have (very) important uses, but have you for instance, ever tried to navigate the darkness using a laser-pointer? (Been there. Tried that. Epic fail.) It’s just not suited to the task. The beam is too ‘narrow’ to properly illuminate the way and lend perspective.

So, what happens if we let go of  our intention of ‘concentrating’ and embrace the concept of ‘awareness’ instead?

Things get interesting.

Awareness acts more like a floodlight that reaches well into dark corners. By intending awareness we signal our brain to let in a great deal of information simultaneously without regard for its perceived benefit. Sure, we get quite a bit of information that we may not find immediate value for, but along with that information, come gems of knowledge we would surely have missed otherwise. Awareness begets expansive thinking, and expansive thinking is the condition under which discovery and creativity thrive.

Next time you find yourself ‘stuck’ when learning something new, whether it be a dialect or any other skill, see what happens if you consciously invite yourself to make the subtle shift from ‘concentration’ to ‘awareness’. It might feel a bit awkward at first not to have access to your trusty ‘laser beam’, but you might surprise yourself with how enlightening the experience can be.

This article first appeared at Dialect411.com.