Be Focused Not Present
You do not practice being present, you practice being focused, because being present is a byproduct of being able to focus.
Dandapani takes the common advice to live in the moment and asks how you would actually do it. His answer is that presence is not the thing you train. Focus is, and presence follows from it.
What this talk covers
- People say live in the moment and be present, but rarely say how you would do this.
- When you can focus, you can be in the moment.
- Keeping your awareness engaged with the person in front of you and giving them your undivided attention is what being in the moment is.
- Being present is a byproduct of being able to focus, so practice focus rather than presence.
Being present is a byproduct of being able to focus.Dandapani
Questions
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By learning to focus. Dandapani says presence is not something you practice directly; when you can keep your awareness engaged with one thing, you are in the moment.
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Focus is the ability you train. Presence is the byproduct. If you can give someone your undivided attention, you are being present with them.
Transcript
119 words · 0:48
You often hear people say, live in the moment, be present. But how do you do this? Actually, it's not about living in the moment, it's about being focused. When you can focus, you can be in the moment.
If I can keep my awareness engaged with you and give you my undivided attention, I am in the moment. So a person doesn't learn to practice being present. You don't practice being in the moment.
Rather, you practice being focused. Being present is a byproduct of being able to focus. If I can focus on you and I can give you my undivided attention, I am being present with you.
So, don't practice being present. Rather, practice being focused.