It can be difficult to define which of our human qualities are truly unique to our species. It seems like every day new studies come out in the field of animal behavior research which takes our feelings of uniqueness down a few notches. These studies often demonstrate how some quality we previously believed we were the sole recipient of actually belongs to many other species. We now know we aren’t the only species which uses tools. We’ve known for a while now how other species mourn their dead. We even continue to learn more and more about the complex and specific verbal language systems which every animal society organizes around.
Is there any quality which makes us uniquely human?
That question may never be answered but we know there are certain qualities we’re better at than other animals. We’re a lot worse than most of the animal kingdom at most tasks, but we seem to trump all of our fuzzy and scaly cousins when it comes to our ability to focus and concentrate.
Experts on the subject of human performance agree that the one quality linking the highest performing members of our species is their ability to concentrate at a very, very high level. This ability to focus exists across the board of our most impressive individuals- from athletes to CEOs to our greatest artists.
While you can develop your ability to concentrate at any point in your life this skill is best learned and trained when you’re a student. Learning how to focus intensely on your work will both ensure better academic performance but it will also provide you with a valuable and ultimately practical life skill which will serve you no matter what path you choose to take after graduation.
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Developing Your Concentration Skills Through Studying
One of the best ways you can increase your ability to focus while also retaining very specific information is through what’s known as the 3 Fingers Technique. Developed by Jose Silva, this technique will “anchor” both a very specific mental & emotional state, as well as precise data, into a small physical action. Whenever you repeat this small physical action you will immediately re-enter the positive mental & emotional state you want to recall and you will immediately recall whatever information you need to bring to bear.
To use the 3 Finger Technique to help you study, perform the following actions:
- First, sit down with all of your study materials.
- Now enter into the Alpha state using Silva method techniques. Breathe very slowly with your eyes closed and tell yourself when you reach the count of 5 you will open your eyes completely present, aware and ready to study. Close your eyes. Breathe very slowly, and with each breath count up to 5. When you reach the number 5 open your eyes and tell yourself you are now fully present, aware and ready to study.
- As you reach this state press your thumb, your forefinger and your middle finger together. Focus in on what you’re feeling mentally & emotionally in this moment and store it in.
- Now begin to study. As you study and come upon information you need to remember perform the 3 Finger Technique again to lock in this data. Look at the data purposefully, repeat it to yourself slowly, and as you do press your three fingers together.
- From now on whenever you need to recall this mental & emotional state of intense focus, and any time you need to recall the data in question, all you need to do is perform the 3 Fingers Technique and you will automatically pull that state and that information out of the precise physical motion
