The Lesson: Dandapani’s years spent training in a monastery are apparent from the moment he opens his mouth – and in this talk, he uses his wisdom to shed light on the disturbing fact that we readily give up control of our awareness to a multitude of people and things on a daily basis. He believes that most of us cannot truly concentrate due to a lack of formal training, for the key to mastering any skill lies in learning and practicing. Dandapani teaches us a highly effective visualization technique that utilizes a mental picture of a floating orb that drifts to various areas. This visualization simulates the idea of one’s consciousness floating between different topics. Therefore, having control over the orb allows us to rein in our drifting consciousness and attain the unwavering focus we have always strived for.

Notable Excerpt: “If I wanted to play for the Chicago Bulls or dance for the San Francisco Ballet company, how many hours a day should I practice? General answer is about eight hours a day, six days a week. And then I ask them, after six months, can I play for the Bulls? The answer’s usually no. After a year? No, but I’d be better at basketball, right? So imagine if you practice distraction eight hours a day, six days a week. What would you be good at after six months? Distraction. After a year? You’d be really good at distraction. After a year and a half? You’d be an expert at distraction, you’d write the NYT bestseller on distraction, TEDx would invite you to come and give a keynote on distraction. You’d get on stage, you’d be so distracted you’d forget what you were supposed to talk about. That’s how good you are!”

The Speaker: Dandapani is a former Hindu monk, current priest, entrepreneur, and coach and international speaker on self development. Growing up in Australia, Dandapani dreamed of becoming a monk since age four. It wasn’t until after he graduated university with a degree in electrical engineering that he found a spiritual mentor who clicked with him, and he relinquished his old life. For 10 years, he lived a life of serious personal discipline and training at his guru’s cloistered monastery in Hawaii. When his vows expired, he began a new life in New York City with the purpose of using his insights to work with individuals, companies and organizations around the world.

Podcast: You can find more of Dandapani’s inspiring talks on his YouTube channel.

(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below) – Photo by michiexile, CC

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