On Sunday, September 25th, Pastor Myron Goodwin at Grace Chapel in little ole’ Lieper’s Fork, Tennessee, taught me a fascinating method to focus and solve problems in just ten minutes a day. I’m still developing the muscles, but I’ve been extremely productive since learning this technique.
You might think it’s a little weird. Try it anyway. Embrace the weird.
Because it occurred to me that these same steps could help anyone break free from the chains of distractedness—the compulsion loop of noise, notifications, vibrations, and stuff—that’s caused us to behave like lab rats and junkies.
You may not be addicted to meth, but you may very well be addicted to new input, and it’s changed your brain chemistry in the same way pharmaceutical drugs do.
That’s a problem – we need you to be a deep thinker. We need you to help solve the great problems of not only your own family but your company and community.
My son’s helped me with this over the years – his autism keeps his “overwhelmed by input” threshold pretty low. He’s a beautiful educator—reminding me we all have this threshold… but most of us foolishly believe we can push through it.
And so, that leads me to this Pastor Myron…
10 Minutes To Deeper Thinking, Idea Generation, and Problem Solving
1. Prepare yourself mentally. Pastor Myron suggested finding a sacred space to you early in the morning—each morning—to put yourself in a position to wash away the distractions of life. He has a green chair. I have a spot on the couch. I also have an office and a beautiful spot outside my home once Nashville cools down. Pastor Myron noted it doesn’t have to be morning, but like Jesus, if you’re able to wake before dawn and give time to the big challenges of the day.
2. Take one minute to breathe. Try and clear your mind. If something pops into it, go back to focusing on your breathing. There are apps for this on your phone and on your watch if you have one of them Apple Watch thingamadoodles.
3. Be intentional. Know what challenge or problem or question you’re going to try and solve. See it clearly. State it plainly.
4. Drift away. Imagine yourself with a teacher or mentor sitting, standing, or simply being in a place that inspires you. For me, that’s a particular spot on a particular beach. He or she is there to counsel you. If you’re trying to solve a problem, and you have a great teacher or mentor—living or dead—let him in. Don’t be skeptical until you’ve tried it. We’re talking ten minutes total to give this a try. You literally have nothing but a sixth of an hour to lose.
5. Ask her or him your question. Then, let whatever comes into your brain flow through you: words, thoughts, images, sounds, moods, ideas, solutions. Channel it all into a journal. Don’t stop to edit. Stay out of the left brain. Heck, stay out of the brain. You have opened your heart to the very deepest parts of you. I happen to believe now that’s where God lives in each of us, but even if you disagree, there’s simply no good reason not to try this exercise. Let words flow into your journal. Don’t force them. Maybe it’ll be paragraphs, maybe it’ll be bullet points, maybe it’ll be imagery. Whatever it is – journal it without judgment.
6. Reflect and give thanks. Look over what flowed through you. Is there anything helpful to your problem or challenge? Then, if you spoke with a teacher/mentor, thank her. Thank him. See her real. See him real in your mind’s eye and in the soul of your heart.
7. Take action. Do the next right thing.
Freak.
You think? I hope you will give it a try for a week. I hope you’ll use this same technique to shed the avalanche of distractions in your life to help you focus on your great challenges.
What Do You Have To Lose?
Ten minutes a day… for five days… do it with me each morning (or in the late quiet of your evening if that better suits you). It’s not about the notebook you choose or the chair or the coffee you drink. If those things bring you joy and help you prepare to listen, then wonderful! Relish those things, but know this isn’t *about* those things.
You’re not alone. If you’re ready or willing, you now have a wonderful new, imaginary, interesting technique for accessing the inner subconscious of your right-brain – where patterns and connections are built and synapses fire and make miracles to solve problems.