Unlocking Your Full Potential: The Power of the Present Moment

"Life is now in session. Are you present?” - B. Copeland

Preparing for medical specialty boards is a mental marathon of immense proportions! You know the drill.

How often do you start studying and find that your mind is wandering—jumping from thought to random thought? It's frustrating, diverts your attention, wastes time, and depletes energy.

How can you quiet your mind from distractions all around you and focus on what you need to do—S-T-U-D-Y? The answer is to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

Thinking about the past or the future can be stressful. Don't add that unnecessary stress to your board prep experience! Studies show that people who focus on seeking pleasure at the moment are happier than those focused on the past.

But how do you live in the present moment?

The author of The Practicing Mind, Tom Sterner, says that four "S" words can help us simplify our effort to conquer the most complex tasks. The four "S" words are SIMPLIFY, SMALL, SHORT, and SLOW.

SIMPLIFY … simplify your project or activity by breaking it down into its parts; completing a goal will satisfy you and motivate you. For starters, review the blueprint of your board exam to identify which topics count the most.

SMALL … use your overall goal as a rudder to keep you on the course but break down the overall goal into mini goals that can be achieved with a comfortable amount of concentration. For example, test your knowledge of two topics, then review your missed questions.

SHORT … set a time limit to complete your small task (i.e., complete 25 MCQs on topic X for 30 minutes in the AM and 25 MCQs on topic Y for 30 minutes in the PM). That's it! You have broken down your task and will focus for only a short time. You can do this!

SLOW … the idea is to work at a pace that allows you to pay attention to what you are doing. Approach your study with curiosity. Being deliberate requires that you stay in the process—don't multitask. I know it's hard to believe, but try it because it works. Savor the process, whether it's self-testing, creating flashcards, or studying a knowledge gap.

In addition, deliberate and thoughtful attention to a specific task can keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

In summary, Sterner recommends a few simple rules for creating the present-moment functioning:

? Keep yourself process-oriented, not outcome-oriented.

? Stay in the present.

? Make the process the goal and use the overall goal as a rudder to steer your efforts.

? Be deliberate, have an intention about what you want to accomplish, and remain aware of that intention.

A Hungarian-American psychologist--Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi--researched the meditative state of mindfulness in the '60s by observing painters and creatives who immersed themselves in their work with deep concentration and focus. Later he expanded his research to include interviews with surgeons, mountain climbers, ballet dancers, and chess players. He termed this immersion experience FLOW.

He observed that certain conditions must be present for this state to occur—individuals must be faced with a challenging and engaging task that requires intensive focus (it doesn't happen when individuals are relaxed).

Csikszentmihalyi shares these findings in his book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. While not the easiest thing to do, practicing present-moment functioning--being fully mindful--or experiencing flow when you study can be a game changer.

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Linda L. Carr, Ph.D., Founder/Principal at Coaching for Medical Specialty Boards, is a medical educator and learning specialist who coaches physicians preparing for specialty boards through virtual, one-on-one coaching. Visit www.DrLindaCarr.org to learn more about her program, and her client's success, and download her FREE Study Guide.