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12. Focusing as Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

I have noticed that focusing on a job, any job, small or large produces only beneficial effects, both on me and on the job at hand:

Effects on the Job

Proceeds & proceeds well
Existing details appear
Future details appear
Seems to go slower, but doesn't
Has fewer mistakes when finished

Effects on Me

Calms me down
Makes me less error-prone
My mood is elevated
A sense of fun returns
Frees up my mind
Frees up my brain
Gives me a sense of control over the job (and not vice- versa!)
Non-logical inputs occur; i.e., cues aiding efficiency.
Gives me a relaxed sense of satisfaction for I know I'm doing my best at that moment.

Can I live my life focusing on details and waiting for guidance? I don't know but I do know that most, if not all, good artists work just that way (I have a BA in Design and have played music all my life). Some artists live almost completely by 'inspiration' even when they're not producing art works; they get 'inspired to go shopping' and 'move to the country or city'. Successful athletes, businessmen and plumbers focus like crazy when they're doing their jobs. And they are not shy about admitting to the influences of inspiration and guidance.

(The phases, "God is in the details" and "Your life an Art Form" come to mind.)

The survival fears generated by THSM prevents some of us, I think, from following this SOP even when we know that practice, practice, practice, which is really just focusing on details, is the surest way to success. One has to overcome THSM's reluctance to learn to be better than it needs to be to survive. Spirits want beauty, elegance, etc., and our horses only want to be horses.

And it is also absolutely true that for us Experiencors, operating one's life on unknown, misunderstood words, on unclear definitions, on hazy assumptions can severely limit one's happiness. So that focusing now includes either using one's Funk and Wagnall or trial-and-error learning. All human philosophical aspirations as well as fixing the dripping faucet directly depend on understanding what the hell is going on.

It would appear that having a correct (i.e., logical) understanding of some common, ordinary words like 'emotion', 'logic', 'solid', 'experience', etc., in their fullest sense, can have a profoundly beneficial effect on one's philosophy. And it's damn hard to stop that drip without understanding what a washer does.

It could be further apparent that experiencing most fully (to one's maximum emotional capacity) is to fulfill most fully one's role as Experiencor. Isn't it reasonable to assume that TSB wants value for value from us? And isn't focusing the fun way to give that value?

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