I came across Dandapani when tim ferriss mentioned him in one of his podcasts. Then I looked up his website (very easy to remember URL, from tim's podcast, at least for someone like myself of Indian origin)

On his blog, there is a youtube video of his TED Talk from TEDxReno called “Unwavering Focus”.

I try to summarize the points here.

  • We are told to concentrate (from childhood) yet no one teaches us how.
  • We are distracted all the time (13-16 hours x 7 days a week) So we become good at “being distracted” (Whatever you practice, makes you good at that)
  • Are “internet and smartphones” distractors ? (yes and no)
    • “Monks with Macs” (and iPhones)
      • When he became monk, he had to give up everything. All “new” monks are given certain attire, set of beads and a “MacBook Pro”
      • “Is it ok for monks to use email ?” “Off course, as long as there are no attachments” :)
  • Awareness and Mind
    • Awareness is like “glowing orb” that moves
    • Mind is vast plain with various area like anger, jealousy, food, sex, science, art.
    • Wherever the “orb” goes, that part of illuminated, (and you become aware)
    • Art of awareness is to keep the “ball of light/orb” on one thing.
    • “Mind” doesn't wander, awareness does.
  • Concentration means “Keep the awareness on one thing for an extended period of time”
  • Look for opportunities in daily life
  • In order to teach children to concentrate, parents need to learn it first.