[arienth]

I'm actually trying to accomplish something this summer by taking a stab at some self-improvement (crazy, right?).
Some of the things I would like to get around to include perfecting my conversational German, amassing information to build my knowledge base, exercising more, catching up on television shows, maybe even some writing. And naturally, by "get around to" I mean actually muster the motivation to get started. Because I really, genuinely want to get started but every time I feel some sort of interest I immediately leap to Google in order to figure out how best to go about it. You will literally find me looking up methods of learning languages for about twenty minutes before I get lazy and lose whatever motivation I might have had in favor of doing something pointless and time-consuming - tumblr, I'm looking at you - for the rest of the day. Even when I give myself the simplest tasks, for example, looking up random things on Wikipedia to self-educate myself, I will open the page to Wikipedia, look at it for about two seconds, and click out. If I get to an article, I'll read the first two lines and skim over the rest.

Same goes for projects that I've started. A day in, I'll get bored.

This happens every single time I want to do something with my life, because I know the potential is there but I can't help myself, I always waste it. Is it even possible for an ENTP to concentrate? Because I'm starting to lose it completely, even with things I'm interested in! :frustrating: How do you guys focus? I AM SO FRUSTRATED I AM ABOUT TO FLY INTO THE SUN

 

[jdstankosky]

So, you're trying to learn German and you can't maintain focus? Is this the issue?

 

[kissy2490]

Wish I had an answer for you since i'm going through the exact same thing.

 

[DiamondDays]

I tend to only do one thing that comes unnaturally to me at the time. Right now, that is writing boring fucking essays.

The rest of what i do needs to be stuff i like to do naturally that i don't have to force myself to do.

Sometimes, forcing myself to start doing things that comes unnaturally to me and sticking with it for some time makes it come naturally for me. Like right now i'm going to the gym. That used to be a real fucking chore, mostly because i didn't see any improvement. Now however i have found the right path for me and i enjoy doing it.

 

[arienth]

Learning German is just one of the things that I'm trying to accomplish, but yep, that's basically the issue. Lack of focus. I suppose it's typical that I've made a list of a thousand things I want to do and haven't put a dent in any of them.

So you recommend just forcing myself to do one thing at a time, and then keeping with it? I always complicate the thing itself which makes it less simple than it seems, if that makes any sense. For example the looking up the best methods of learning German, but maybe that's just a way to get away from the task itself. Ugh.

 

[jdstankosky]

Sometimes, I really don't feel like doing something, even if I'm interested in it conceptually, I find that if I force myself to work on it for like an hour, something weird happens... I get into it.

Doesn't happen all the time, but sometimes it does.

Rosetta Stone's German courses are pretty good. Interpals.com is cool. Hook up with a German speaker trying to learn your language on Skype and see what happens, I dunno.

Edit:
Also just thought that I've been playing Minecraft with this guy in Mexico who speaks hardly ANY English, and I know barely ANY Spanish, but the language barrier is actually pretty fun, and we're teaching each other vocabulary as we play.

 

[DiamondDays]

^this

Learning German is just one of the things that I'm trying to accomplish, but yep, that's basically the issue. Lack of focus. I suppose it's typical that I've made a list of a thousand things I want to do and haven't put a dent in any of them.

So you recommend just forcing myself to do one thing at a time, and then keeping with it? I always complicate the thing itself which makes it less simple than it seems, if that makes any sense. For example the looking up the best methods of learning German, but maybe that's just a way to get away from the task itself. Ugh.

Post above nailed it, force yourself to do it until you get into it, and then keep on doing it. You can only force yourself to do one unpleasant thing at a time though, so if you have 5 things you would like to get on with, focus on one.

 

[the3rdpower]

Break it down... Write it down... Act it out...

Break it down
Understand what goals you want to accomplish, how long you want to take to accomplish it, and what success looks like

Write it down
WRITE IT DOWN... quit screwing around on the internet and write down your goals and what actions you want to take

Act it out
Put action and intent into it... one step... two step... three step. I find I do get side tracked but when I post goals up and put them in places I can revisit them (stick notes in the bathroom, screen savers, note on the fridge, start sharing it with other people) I just simply start doing it. The more you share the more you want to retain credibility. That's how I roll.

FYI - the hard way is always the best way. Yup, it's the hard ass way... but it's always the way you appreciate in the end.

To talk about the more intricate act of focusing you have to really put your mind into it. That requires shutting out everything else. That's how focus is created. Think of it as an ability to master yourself. Think of it as mastering your mind.

 

[CraftEatRepeat]

I have the same issue! and your right, it is soo frustrating. I've found I really pull it together an get things done when I have a deadline, it's usually last minute of course, but something about knowing that there's a deadline motivates me. I have an awful time with open-ended projects or anything that's only being held to my own standard.

maybe plan a German related event a few months out, something where you'd feel excited to show off your skills but also embarassed to go unprepared. (Of course I have no suggestions on German related events lol) I find if I'm doing something that other people may be the judge of I do better because I want to reach a higher standard than what id hold myself to. ((a lot like how well we can whip our house into shape if we know we're expecting company))

Seems to work for me. In a unnatural approach I've actually finally been prescribed with ADD medicine and it's done wonders for my productivity and focus, I actually feel like I'm able to see projects through and keep up on my routine tasks. ((whether it's add or just our ENTP habits is surely debatable but I'm definitely having an easier time now than back when I had to make a project out of everything or trick myself into completing things)

 

[PowerShell]

Deadlines make me focus. The closer the deadline, the more the focus.

 

[donkeybals]

I think it comes down to excitement mainly. I get bored of things pretty easily too -> but one thing you can try is do like 4-5 things at once for awhile. We might need multiple things for stimulation, just read a little bit on wiki, than do an exercise, than watch tv, than write, than go back to wiki, and repeat. Etc.

 

[eleventhheart]

Yeah, this is my greatest challenge in life. The part where I actually pursue my interests until I'm good enough to show off with them...
I think the tactic that works best for me is to get someone else to be accountable, haha. That sounds like I'm dodging responsibility, and I totally am, but I find when I get a friend who is good at focusing to learn something with me, they can keep me focused even after I get a little bit tired of all the structure.

 

[noahmoss]

Completely identify here obviously. Learning chinese for myself was all about researching for hours to find THE BEST option. Finally i found the best option. Now i'm not really keeping up with it but that is like the other 100 books i have read half way and "got enough out" to pick up a new book. This seems so counterproductive! But like another person mentioned, If i say one thing, i have to stay consistent with myself. If i say one thing and do another I feel guilty and it really pushes me to do the thing i need to do

 

[fengshui222]

I'm actually trying to accomplish something this summer by taking a stab at some self-improvement (crazy, right?).
Some of the things I would like to get around to include perfecting my conversational German, amassing information to build my knowledge base, exercising more, catching up on television shows, maybe even some writing.

if you want to find the best way to stay focus and to accomplish anything:
- JUST TRY TO MAKE IT FUNNY
it will help you to stay motivated... trust me.
i learned spanish just by watching movies in spanish.

if you want to learn german:
- just learn the 100 most usefull words in german/ and german's basis grammar
- and then (the funny thing); just download some movies: with german voices and with english subtitles, and watch it... your brain will do the rest.

if you want to exercise more;
you could just find something you like/ find some friends or some people who like the same thing, and exercice with them

 

[gracElizabeth]

What's focus? unless it's on catching that slightly injured bird that I've been chasing for two hours, and when I catch it I think "wow what a good investment of my time"

 

[Tenshi_rdk]

I'm actually trying to accomplish something this summer by taking a stab at some self-improvement (crazy, right?).
Some of the things I would like to get around to include perfecting my conversational German, amassing information to build my knowledge base, exercising more, catching up on television shows, maybe even some writing. And naturally, by "get around to" I mean actually muster the motivation to get started. Because I really, genuinely want to get started but every time I feel some sort of interest I immediately leap to Google in order to figure out how best to go about it. You will literally find me looking up methods of learning languages for about twenty minutes before I get lazy and lose whatever motivation I might have had in favor of doing something pointless and time-consuming - tumblr, I'm looking at you - for the rest of the day. Even when I give myself the simplest tasks, for example, looking up random things on Wikipedia to self-educate myself, I will open the page to Wikipedia, look at it for about two seconds, and click out. If I get to an article, I'll read the first two lines and skim over the rest.

Same goes for projects that I've started. A day in, I'll get bored.

This happens every single time I want to do something with my life, because I know the potential is there but I can't help myself, I always waste it. Is it even possible for an ENTP to concentrate? Because I'm starting to lose it completely, even with things I'm interested in! :frustrating: How do you guys focus? I AM SO FRUSTRATED I AM ABOUT TO FLY INTO THE SUN

Lol , im gonna say you have fallen into the trap of believing what you read about ENTP's. Yes we have potential focus problems but its not THAT bad. You probably read "entp's jump from topic to topic etc" but you decided to focus on the bad of this. Hence no focus. WHy not focus on the good side. We have the ability to not get stuck in something sucky for too long. Also I can clearly see you jump to things that don't really inspire you. And I think I know what you mean. You feel like you need to improve yourself because you see yourself as stuck thus trying desperately to do anything and everything for the sake of something new. Here's what helped me. You need to find a way to be OK with where you are at. You don't have a great life ? meh ~ look for the good stuff. Doing this will make your relaxed and happy. It will take some mental effort at first but become natural later. It MUCH easier than doing PHYSICAL stuff trying to pile drive yourself through mountains of effort.

When you finally become relaxed and happier with where you are you will receive inspiration. This is 100X more powerful than pure willpower and motivation. You won't have focus problems then and we ENTP usually find this state every now and then. Surely if your entp you must have been in this flow state. But yes being OK with where you are will get you there more frequently. I know this is the HARDEST thing to hear especially for ENTP's but CHILLAX. I know you feel like not wasting time, but really you are wasting waaaay more time by criticizing yourself for being lazy,behing in life etc. and BURNING OUT as a result. As long as you know, once inspiration has a hold on you you will be thousand times more productive and focused with energy to boot. I promise

 

[fengshui222]

Lol , im gonna say you have fallen into the trap of believing what you read about ENTP's. Yes we have potential focus problems but its not THAT bad. You probably read "entp's jump from topic to topic etc" but you decided to focus on the bad of this. Hence no focus. WHy not focus on the good side. We have the ability to not get stuck in something sucky for too long. Also I can clearly see you jump to things that don't really inspire you. And I think I know what you mean. You feel like you need to improve yourself because you see yourself as stuck thus trying desperately to do anything and everything for the sake of something new. Here's what helped me. You need to find a way to be OK with where you are at. You don't have a great life ? meh ~ look for the good stuff. Doing this will make your relaxed and happy. It will take some mental effort at first but become natural later. It MUCH easier than doing PHYSICAL stuff trying to pile drive yourself through mountains of effort.

When you finally become relaxed and happier with where you are you will receive inspiration. This is 100X more powerful than pure willpower and motivation. You won't have focus problems then and we ENTP usually find this state every now and then. Surely if your entp you must have been in this flow state. But yes being OK with where you are will get you there more frequently. I know this is the HARDEST thing to hear especially for ENTP's but CHILLAX. I know you feel like not wasting time, but really you are wasting waaaay more time by criticizing yourself for being lazy,behing in life etc. and BURNING OUT as a result. As long as you know, once inspiration has a hold on you you will be thousand times more productive and focused with energy to boot. I promise

yes that's right!!!
we spend too much time focusing ourself on what MBTI says about us.
ENTPs have focus problems, but we still can focus ourself on something.
even if we have potential issues, we still can do it.
but how/ why and when?

after reading your post, i realized something:
everytime i was very focused on something; i was relaxed and happy/ or over stressed (with short deadlines/ or with maters of life and death).

to conclued: if i'm not: relax/ happy/ or stressed (about short something).
i can't focuse myself on something.

feelings may have a great power on our willpower and on our focus abilities.

 

[Tenshi_rdk]

yes that's right!!!
we spend too much time focusing ourself on what MBTI says about us.
ENTPs have focus problems, but we still can focus ourself on something.
even if we have potential issues, we still can do it.
but how/ why and when?

after reading your post, i realized something:
everytime i was very focused on something; i was relaxed and happy/ or over stressed (with short deadlines/ or with maters of life and death).

to conclued: if i'm not: relax/ happy/ or stressed (about short something).
i can't focuse myself on something.

feelings may have a great power on our willpower and on our focus abilities.

Here true , but I see willpower as a joke nowadays. Willpower is so inefficient because its wasted energy. If you force yourself to go to gym or do a project and you use will power - good luck the project is going to be hard and gym will be just doing the least you can. The trick for us is waiting for inspiration and yes EEEEK most people will say that's not how life works you have to push yourself. Not true, for some people that works. Not for me. And if we let go we will experience move inspiration.

Yeah deadlines can make us act - any P type really. But I also realized nowadays that doing this for someone has no more effect. If I dont really care it wont happen. So it must be for myself OR i must care about it. Then deadlines still work wonders yes

 

[The Stig]

After exploring myself (mentally ) for a few minutes while reading this thread I can offer how I focus and echo a few things:

1. As said, deadlines, make me focus good. I know it has to be done by X, makes it easier for me to get into gear and just go do it. Plus if there's a deadline involved it usually means I am doing it for someone rather than myself. I see setting myself deadlines not as motivating
2. If the task at hand will ensure one of the following:

a) I will benefit from it greatly (knowledge/skill) for something I will do in the future
b) It will allow me to show up people, or one up people, then I will focus on the task to get it done just to make me feel one step above them and put the ball on their court (this is how I get through work, I take/do the difficult tickets and stay above the waters. Nowadays I feel a tiny bit like Sherlock Holmes, the trickiest/difficult tickets gets me going)
@fengshui222 additionally makes a good point:

if you want to find the best way to stay focus and to accomplish anything:
- JUST TRY TO MAKE IT FUNNY

This works amazingly well. One example. At work we are forced to do these "online" tutorials/training periodically (so we remain aware), I won't go into detail what, but it's work politics (i.e. data security). During these tutorials, you get presented scenarios and loads of pictures of actors.

While "training" I would take all these pictures and build a little comic strip out of it, or, subtitle the pictures in question with some text that fits their emotions/faces.

I then spread it at work, but the managers usually disapprove. Nowadays it's shared with the people I am "close" to. So if you get online tutorials/software that comes with pictures, try subtitling them!

---

I can't comment much about learning another language, I know 2 already, but the thought of learning another is quite daunting.

The only way to motivate myself to learn another one is really to stay in the country of origin, because I think no matter how I learn it at "home" I'm never going to be able to at least grasp it on a conversational/day to day level. Of course, I understand that this option is hard to come by (unless you get relocated for work/career purposes, or if you're swimming in money) so do your best!

 

[Empecinado]

Break it down into a list, I think this is more productive than having a deadline but sometimes I set very loose deadlines.