The art of focus - a crucial ability | Christina Bengtsson | TEDxGöteborg 

The takeaway: -Destroy nervousness in order to focus -Destroy nervousness by taking attention off negative things and worries, and place it on neutral things -Stop looking to future success, look to the now -Focus on one thing, and do it really really well -Play to your strengths -Make a dont-do list Loved her line "...and still today, I can remember that smell of lead and loneliness." Reveals what it takes to be the best! At the end of the day it is not the remarkably insightful which become the world champions, it is the determined and focused.

I really love the rhythm and tone of this speaker. Peaceful and confident.

Her point about removing the goal to understand the work in the moment rather than imagining the future is brilliant, as is her second point that if we don't stay focused in the present then we are chasing what we are not, and what we don't have, and our time erodes and our future is stolen from us.

I love her Swedish cadence and tone. It's hypnotic.

she looks like she could light a candle by staring at it

Lets all stop and appreciate the brilliance of the script

Great. She is talking like an artist, though she is an athlete. Her chosen every word precisely flame inspiration .

I have experienced the feeling of focus. One day I was studying in library in my University, after I finish solving a hard problem, for just a moment, maybe less than one second, I forget where I am, and i forget what is the time, and forget my friends who come along with me. Soon after that, everything recovers, however, I still remember that strange feeling.

I'll come back to this video within a year with great change in myself.

Her tempo of speech and her attitude made me focused on the content she was delivering. Just like her shooting career, this was a well-trained speech.

Great speech. Christina is like a highly trained Bond villain.

" No to-do list" is brilliant Cristina. It makes my mind and neurons revolve in full looping around themselves.

She deserved a standing ovation

She's so calm and focused that makes me feel relaxed Thank you for the points

Ok, am I the only one who just LOVES her accent and intonation ??

"Focus, this vital force that brings out the best in us and others, something this world so greatly deserves..." i absolutely loved this talk.

"Focus is about choosing the right thought among thousands of thoughts"

1.worry/insecurity 2.not working on what we already know but working on what we want to achieve 3.frustated for not having time solution: 1. focus is the ability to choose the right thought among thousands of thoughts distinguish disturbing thoughts from not disturbing thoughts a not disturbing thought knocks out all disturbing thoughts eg:leaf,belt etc 2. stop focusing on goal but focus on the process to achieve when we focus too much on our goals our focus is constantly on the future not on what needs to be done now focus is not about becoming something new or better but is about functioning exactly well as we already are & understanding that this is enough for both general happiness and great achievements 3. do one thing at a time(more possibilities there is more to refrain from) reach inner core which doesn't require constant feedback as a reward(here you have deep contentment) maintain a not to do list

Her voice is incredible!

This woman’s passion is beautiful and inspiring. Love that she emphasizes this essential message about focus without bashing younger generations.

"Embrace the ability you have within yourself to be able to see the value of a small autumn leaf playing in the wind." 🍂 Great speech! It's all about the present moment 🙌

This superb speech reminds me of the story by Chuang Tzu (although the speaker may not agree with me): "When an archer fires just for the sake of it, is in possession of the whole of his skill. If he's firing in order to win a bronze buckle, becomes anxious. If the prize is of gold, he becomes blinded or sees two marks... He has lost his mind! His ability has not changed. But he's riven by the prize. He's worried, thinks more of winning than of firing... And the need of winning steals his power".

great speech..living in this moment staying focused without worrying about the result is the key to achieve your goal....

"It is not so much about prioritizing than prioritizing away". "How to live life without constant feedback (social media) from others". Thank you, Christina, for the amazing and empathetic talk.

I’ve been watching ted talks all month and this is one of the best ones I’ve come across. The advice she gives is some of the best I’ve ever heard.

This is perhaps one of the best talk on focus.

Choosing the right thought at the moment is the most well-defined what the focus is.

her voice is so calming

It's 3rd April, 2020.. I am coming back here in 5 years with my speech on TEDx Talk and becoming a man enough to prove my inner instinct. Wish me a good luck to bring change in myself and this world.

Im going to change my life after this. Be more present. Be more here. And be absorbed to what is important.

I liked the calmness she displayed, while speaking.

This talk and the presenter speech is incredible. One of the best I ever have seen.

Had tears of happiness in my eyes while watching this. Simply one of the best Ted talk ever.!

The best explanation about Focus that I heard. Eliminate disturbing thoughts, one focus at a time, forget new and better thoughts for now. Focus on your inner core, with your innate skill (learn, listen, empathize). Focus on the here now and not the future. List not-to-do list and refrain from it. You don't need an immediate response. We have to control the pressure intensity of activities of the society and not the activities of the society have to control us. These are the core of Focus.

How is she that good at speaking I mean those expressions are flawless!

One of the best Ted Talks I've ever heard. Thank you.

Christina Bengtsson you are a true inspiration to all those fortunate enough to have made contact with you. Focus is a dying art that we have a responsibility to restore and pass on to this and future generations. I feel so lucky to have "met" you today via Ted and RU-vid. Thank you so much Christina.

What a brilliant talk, I'm so glad i came across this. It's full of quotables and wisdom you can apply in your life with immediate effect. If you struggle with remaining focused, I highly recommend listening to this talk the first thing in the morning and persisting with this ritual until the message is seared into your subconscious!

The only reason why i watched entire 15 minutes was that I wanted to train myself to focus for 15 minutes. Good job Christina, we made it!

The way u speak itself proved how focused personality u r & how well u apply it in ur life.. Thanks for a better glimpse of what focus is..

She’s talking about meditation without using the word “meditation”. Amazing talk!

7:23 "Focus is simply about choosing the right thought among thousands of thoughts."

I love the way she speaks. It is so calming and soothing to listen to her. I am someone with very low attention span but I was able to listen to her without much distraction.

Her hand movements are off the chain!!! I rarely listen to a Tedx talk twice...

The fact that she's so focused makes her speech great.

Well said! There is no life in the past and in the future. Life is only in the now. And energy flows in the direction of focus.

One of the best TedxTalks I would say.Hats off!

I adore this speech. I love you from the bottom of my heart. Now, I am struggling with my studying and my work. I spend hours on thinking every day. I think about my future and my life and the list goes on. But, I realised that I didn't pay my attention at present what I must do now.. After watching her talk I made a change. Just setting my sights on what I must do now, not think anymore. Love her. Wish all best things to her and people.

She has great control over herself that you can recognise from her word to word sentence to sentence, focus lady love you ♥️🤗🥇🎯

The statement "Focus is simply choosing the right though among thousands of thoughts" is really connecting with me because often when the time comes to execute, I though about not being good enough or not doing the right thing and many other things but I've also experienced times when I don't think of anything else but the task at hand and I can remember those times as productive and enjoyable. Focus by choosing the right though is a simple task but very hard to do.

I feel that her way in speaking is amazing and simple

I like her manner of speaking.. it is better than the others.

I like her accent and the way she speaks. One of the best Tedx talks. 🙏🏻

From my prospective, I summarized it differently for myself: 1. Distinguish what is disturbing 1. You are good enough - as a person to do what you need to do. 2. You are good enough - as a person to be proud of. Others: -It’s normal to behave differently, especially when the world has changed a lot. -Focus on one thing, and do it really really well -Play to your strengths

This is the most engaging talk I have ever seen in my life.

This is one of the most enlightening TED Talks that I have ever watched. I have always struggled with focusing. Understanding how the mind works is really helpful for me to be more aware of what steps to take once the disturbing thought come up!

wow! "Focus is what brings the best out of us and the others... what the world deserves!" what a compelling and strong way to finish your talk Christina... my respect to you and this amazing talk

This was an interesting video and three ways of our brain getting distractions. The key fact from there for me is the separation of distracting thoughts from the other. Focus is like a muscle, we need to train it. Before I though that just knowing about will be supportive but remember that "thought" without an action is like a bird in the cage. Looks good but won't travel the world.

I come back to watch this video so many times. She is such a great speaker

I love this woman’s speaking style, this is one of the best Ted talk’s I’ve listened to

She is extremely calm and focused.

Thanks Christina for this Ted talk, very relevant and informative! I used to lack focus and my energy level was always like low... one thing that really helped me was the Procrastination Elimination Method by John Isaac... written for procrastinators (which I was) but tremendously helped me in regaining my focus.

I have never come across a more articulate and methodical understanding of how to focus.

I created a new playlist and named it "Me" and saved all inspiring videos .. without watching and I kept doing that. Today as I skipped going to library. Decided to watch.. As she said we only thinking about future and not working on today's work. As Buddha said without worrying about future and thinking about past, focus on this moment nd work!!!

Safe to say that, this lady is a Genius. I will watch this video everyday from now on. Crazy she explained exactly what I needed to hear and understand. 😊 crazy how the universe truly does work in your favor when you just look within. 🧠💖

I am going to watch this video every day until the next week to understand and memorize these and to see this beautiful lady.

I appreciate the concoction of the entire episode and the magnificent speech of this woman.

Can you imagine being able to laser focus on one thing until you finish it? that's a superpower.

This is an amazing talk. Had to keep stopping it to write down lots of quotes to keep this in mind.

Absolutely brilliant! She articulated everything with such great aplomb and confidence. Almost every point she made was worth noting. Her focused way of speech was a great example of what she was saying in itself.

WOW I'm gob smacked!!! Very important to me right now: concentrating on what I am not, and what I do not have - instead of doing the work that needs to be done to get there!!! Thank you Christina!!!

**All my notes regarding with Christina** Focus is choosing the one, right thought among thousands of thoughts. 1. Notice disturbing thoughts and separate them from the "not disturbing" thoughts. Neutral thoughts like a lamp or a dot. 2. Focus is knowing that we already are and understanding this is already enough for both happiness and great achievements. 3. The more possibilities, the more there is to refrain from. Make a Not-To-Do List, and your brain will automatically shift in focus 4. Learn to direct our attention inwards, to our inner core. To that which doesn’t need a constant response. *Her other speech video* 2:13 It's all about the thoughts you think, why you think them, and to ignore the distracting thoughts. 3:38 Why we lose focus. Outer and Inner distractions 4:20. 6:28 Find out what is important, and what is not important. Find out your core identity and stick to that. 6:57 Focus on the process, and on the long term. 8:50 See how much we don't need. 9:40 4 Tips -- 1. Sharpen your mind and Mark your distractions. 2. Reinforce your ability to ignore them. 3. Find your inner core identity, what's important for you. 4. Decide what Not To Do. Make a Not-To-Do List.

A TED talk meant to be savoured.

This lady should teach acting. She is a natural. What a great presentation.

Is this what a guardian angel sounds like?? Cause her voice had the same intensity as a warm blanket on a chilly afternoon

I Love this woman!!

Making a "Not to Do" List... That's just crazy enough to work! ("Do not Binge for more than an hour on Ted Talks when you are supposed to be writing or working." Gotta try that tomorrow.

thank you Christina Bengtsson and TEDx talks

Taking bits and pieces from TEDx talks is like putting together puzzle that will help me to become more enlightened human being 😊. I valued her speech.

It was like three self help books in one talk. Awesome

Great speech on to avoid attachment to results and focus on execution

I am grateful that I landed on this video by accident. Thinking to myself that it was going to be a waste of my time. I stand corrected. Always looking into the future that I see myself in has been keeping me distracted from building it in the present moment. I really needed this.

I think Christina states this much deeper message simply and effectively. Well worth paying attention to and embedding in one's life.

Great talk and delivery, loved her delivery and.....focus!

Deep, concise, and powerful words....I will try to keep these thoughts in my mind.

Beautiful autumn leaves playing in the wind.

it was one of best speeches! thank you, Christina

“The light in oneself “a book by Krishnamurti exactly what she says.great speech thanks

Very good points. Very charming and beautiful woman. Nice tone & pitch , Thank you TedX and Christina Bengtsson.

I am in love with the pause when you talk!

You didn't just talk about focus but demonstrated it to your audience with your captivating choice of words from the beginning to the end of your speech. Much love from Philippines :)

The intervals between her words made me be able to focus on what's she's saying really well

I learned focus through 2 things. 1 the recognition that those thoughts can be thought about later, and 2 write down those I am afraid to forget. Then of course practice holding the ability over a duration of time such as reading or meditation but as long as you feel your thoughts are important you will not let them go.

Great! Christina, you said what's needed to be said in such a simple way!

she had me at "a not to do list ''. what a perfect speech

I like the idea of a “not to do” list!

Sharp as a needle tip ! FOCUSED

Thank you Christina for your wonderful presentation, given with an exceptional acting gift! This is a very important topic for everyone, as it stands in the middle of countless distractions, in todays world. I wish you all the best so you can continue offering your valuable knowledge on people who need it so much.

Focus: a skill that the world is in need more than ever!

Amazing talk. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience ❤