Welcome...
My name's Kam Knight, I'm a coach, International speaker, and author of a dozen books in the area of mental, physical, and emotional performance.
Thanks for hoping on, I've got some really great tools to help you lead an even better life.
I want to start by saying
In my nearly 20 years of writing and coaching, I realized most people are looking for magic solutions.
They want a tip they can apply one time and solve all their problems forever.
Unfortunately, the mind and body DON'T work that way.
Though in the next few guides, I'll share the simplest tools I've found that are as close to magic as they get.
In this first guide...
I'm going to show you how to improve focus & attention
That's right!
You'll learn how to shift your mind to give you answers and solutions.
And more importantly, to get yourself to take action on those answers and solutions.
Buy why concentration?
Well....
Concentration is the corner stone of everything you do
That's because without concentration, you CAN'T do anything else.
You can’t read a book, listen to a lecture, or stick with a task.
It’s important for decision making, problem solving, and driving safely.
Even other traits like assertiveness, discipline, and organization require concentration to develop.
So....
Concentration is a big deal
It's a bigger deal than you imagine.
In fact, it’s bigger than even that.
It’s the key to everything you’re wanting to do and achieve in life.
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to maintain.
That’s because…
You have a lot of activity inside
1. You have thoughts running in and out.
2. You have mental images flashing back and forth, in the way of daydreams and other mental movies.
3. You also have emotions like fear, worry, or sadness flowing through you.
The problem is…
All of this activity completes for your attention
You might be trying to read a book but have thoughts of dinner running through your mind.
You might be in an important meeting, but daydreaming about a hot date.
Or you could be trying to finish a project, but have emotions of worry dsitracting your efforts.
Your "thoughts," "mental images," and "feelings" are always competing for attention
Not only that...
They trigger other thoughts, images, and feelings
Which makes focusing even more difficult.
In fact, the way some people’s mind’s are wired, they always in some inner activity.
The more activity you have, the more challenging focus becomes.
So...
The road to improving concentration is to manage this mayhem
Think about it.
If you didn’t have a million thoughts running through your head, reading a book would be easy.
If you could pause all the mental movies during class, you might actually hear the teacher.
Or if you could stop the cycle of emotions constantly changing your mood, sticking to things would be a breeze.
With that, the more you can quiet this activity, the easier it is to focus.
Unfortunately...
This isn’t always easy to do
It takes a lot to manage these thoughts, images, and feelings.
That's why focus is becoming harder and harder.
In fact, buddist monks spend years in this endeavor.
Luckily….
The following exercise makes it easy
It helps to clear this activity from your mind.
Again, less activity inside means less getting in the way of your focus.
To begin, close your eyes for a moment.
And notice the thoughts, images, and emotions inside your mind and body.
Notice what the thoughts are saying, pay attention to the mental images flashing in and out, and the same with the emotions.
Now, I want you to interrupt them all.
Don’t let them continue.
Clear your mind and body of any and all thoughts, images, and feelings.
The moment a thought enters awareness, disengage it.
Stop whatever conversations, pictures, or sensations seep in.
Do not ignore, observe, or get lost in what comes up, simply clear it from your mind.
It might be difficult to know how to do this, but it's like when you block an embarrassing or unpleasant memory from coming up.
However, instead of trying to push away the thought, the aim is to simply stop it from continuing.
A great analogy for this is driving in the rain.
The rain, lightening, and wind are like your thoughts, images, emotions.
And the windshield wipers are this exercise.
As a thought appears, wipe it away.
When something else shows up, wipe it away again.
Keep doing this so the view remains clear.
Though know, your mind will battle with your efforts.
As soon as you stop one thought from arising, another will immediately take its place.
As soon as that one is disengaged, another is waiting in line.
Also, thoughts and feelings don't make a grand entrance, nor do they announce their arrival.
They appear without warning, creeping in before becoming fully blown.
Any observations about the exercise, like if you’re doing it correctly is still thinking so clear it.
If you get excited about how well you’re doing the exercise, well that’s a feeling, so clear this as well.
This is clearing in a nutshell
You keep your mind and body void of all thoughts, images, and feelings.
Anytime they come up, you clear them.
There are not matras to repeat, shapes to visualize, or anything else.
So...
Why does this exercise work so well?
You don’t chose most of your inner activity.
It is a habitual process that happens on its own.
This exercise attempts to break the pattern.
Doing this exercise daily will slowly chip away at the activity so there is less mayhem in your awareness.
Less mayhem means better focus.
More importantly….
This guide is titled Instant Focus & Attention
You can use this exercise in the moment to focus.
Anytime you’re struggling to focus, simply clear everything.
Worries on the mind?
No problem!
Disengage and bring it back to the task at hand.
Lost in a daydream?
Clear it from your mind.
If they resurface, disengage and return again.
The more you do, the easier it becomes.
This exercise may seem simple, but if you do it daily, it can have some big shifts.
Regularly practicing this exercise will develop an automatic response to clear the mind whenever there is a need to concentrate.
It becomes a natural process.
That’s right!Anytime your brain hears a question - whether that question is asked by you or someone else - a process is triggered that’s begins searching for possible answers.This mechanism is automatic, you don’t control it, it just happens.And you really can’t stop it either.Anytime a question is asked, the mechanism is triggered, and answers are sought.What’s more…
It doesn’t matter how rational the question isThis mechanism simply begins thinking about possible answers and solutions.And brings those answers and solutions into your awareness.Don’t believe me?Try it for yourself!You might ask a question like:
Why is swimming so much fun?The answers that come into your head may include:
In fact...
You can ask two opposing questionsAnd this mechanism will seek answers to both.That is, you might ask yourself:
Why are kids so annoying? And the mechanism of your brain will come up with answers like:
Now...
If you ask the opposite question
Why are kids so much fun?The responses will be totally different.They will be in line with the fun qualities of kids, like:
Whether you think kids are annoying or fun is irrelevant.The answers your brain gives you will always be in line with the question you ask.Since asking questions triggers your mind to search for answers...
This is a great way to use your mind like ChatGPTYou can ask questions that lead you in a better direction.For example …If you can't find your phone, you might ask:
- Where did I put my phone?Or
- Where did I last see my phone?Or if you’re stressed about an upcoming deadline, you can ask:
- How can I finish this assignment on time?
When you ask such questionsJust like ChatGPT, your brain gives you possible answers and solutions.It happens automatically.You don’t have to try or put in effort.All you have to do is ask the question.
What’s more…
This can keep you out of unnecessary drama
Anytime something unexpected happens, the brain has a tendency to trigger intense fear and anxiety.This not only limits your thinking, but makes the solution seem more difficult and out of reach.So, you make things much harder than they need to be.
For example….
A client of mine recently left her purse in an Uber at the airportAs soon as she realized that, she went into a panic, thinking:
- I don’t have my ID
- I can’t get on the fight
- I will miss the flight- I have to go to the DMV for another ID- I have to cancel all my credit cards- All my money is in there
As you can see, she was spiraling out of controlThen she stopped and asked herself:
- How can I make sure to catch this flight?Suddenly, her panic eased and her brain began thinking of possible solutions.Her thoughts shifted to:- Although I don’t have my driver’s license
- I have enough time to pick up my passport- Maybe I can have my husband drop of the passport- Could my State ID get me on the flight
And then a thought surfaced- What if I call Uber to contact the driver?Which lead to another thought- Maybe I can message the driver directly from the app?She checked to see if she could, and she could, so she did.Within 10 minutes, the driver circled back to drop off the purse.Drama avoided!
Asking the right questions
Can keep your mind from spiraling out of control.It can help you see solutions you’re too caught up from seeing.Solutions that are obvious and staring you in the face.What's even more...
Unlike ChatGPT, which only gives you answersWith your brain, you’ll often find yourself acting on the answer.For example…Another client of mine struggled getting up in the mornings.
He'd lay in bed for hours on end trying to call up the energy to get up.He tried all the traditional tips, but nothing seemed to work.When he wakes up now, he asks himself:
How can I get out of bed and jump into a hot shower?Not only does his brain come up with answers, but he finds himself acting on the answer.That’s because…
Asking "how" signals to your brain you want that outcomeAnd your brain will do its best to create that outcome.If you’re nervous about an upcoming presentation, you might ask:
- How can I stay calm and relaxed? Or
- How can I do an amazing job on this presentation?You’ll find yourself naturally getting calm or doing an amazing job.If you're nervous about an upcoming interview, ask yourself:
- How can I kill it on this interview and get the job?These are a few examples, though there are many ways to prompt your mind.
The mistake most people make is they ask themselves "why"
- Why can't I do this
- Why isn't this working
- Why does this keep happening?Or
- Why does nothing ever go my way?
Asking "why" reinforces the problemIf you remember, your brain doesn’t care what the question is.It simply searches for answers and solutions and brings them into your head.So, when you ask "why", you’re telling your brain you can't do things right and now want answers as to the reason.This not only keeps you from seeing solutions, but reinforces the problem.You essentially nail the coffin to your own graveSo…
Stop asking "WHY" and instead ask, “HOW”
- How can I give an excellent speech?
- How can I finish this assignment?
- How can I fund this project?
- How...
- How...
- How...With that...
I hope you enjoyed this fun guide to prompt engineer your mindIt's meant to help you understand how your brain works like ChatGPT.And to quickly use this feature to move yourself in a more positive directions in your life.So, start practicing it today.Think of areas in your life where you are stuck or struggling, and simply ask yourself how to get out.If you're struggling with finances, you might ask:- How can I make more money?- How can I increase my income?- How can I find a higher paying job?With diet and exercise, questions might include:- How can I eat better?- How can I exercise more?- How can I take better care of my health?In relationships:- How can I communicate more clearly?- What does this person want from me right now?
- How can I get the outcome I'm seeking?
More or less, think about the outcome you'd like, and ask how you can have that outcome.You'll be surprised at how simple the solution can be.Keep an eye out for your next guide"Build Skills & Habits in Your Sleep"Which should be arriving tomorrow.It's one of the easiest ways to start, stick with, and improve any skill or routine you're looking to build or develop.Also...
I hold office hours every other weekWhere you can ask me your most pressing questions about improving your mental, physical, and emotional performance.I've traveled to over a hundred countries, from visiting indigenous tribes on all continents to working with experts, healers, and masters.So, I'd like to think I've learned somethings that you might find helpfulFor now...
Email me anytime at [email protected] with questions you may have:- About this guide- Info in these newsletters- Or any books you've read of mineI answer all emails personally :)Lastly...If you'd like to support this newsletter by purchasing one of my books
You can check them out by clicking here...Up to 10% of revenue goes to various charities around the world :)