It is said that a big part of genius is ‘FOCUS’. And I think that is underrated.
I’ve always known that people that are more focused seem more intelligent whether they are or not. Less noise – ‘just get the job done’ equates more success generally.
Research and writing can go a long way to helping with this.
Let us take sales as an example:
It is common wisdom that product knowledge will increase a person’s sales. There are a couple of ways one could go about gaining this knowledge. Memorizing or learning a patter or secondly, thorough understanding of the product one is attempting to sell. Most of the time the first step is necessary to start but I believe the second is needed to be successful long term.
One can just sit and read through research on a product or service. Or one can research and put those thoughts together in one’s own articles for the purpose of enlightening others on the benifits of the product or service. Research in this case would be more than just reading. As much as possible one needs to experience the product or service. If it is a car, drive it. If it is cookware, cook with it. And test it in differnt scenarios. A set of new tires are supposed to be particularly good in snow and ice. Figure out a way to go out and drive on them in ice and snow. Make sure that you understand why and write about your experience – how it went. Having done this you will find the next time a prospect asks you about the tires with regard to snow you will answer easily and with certainty and the customer will perceive this.
The more of this you do the less people will be able to knock you off your game. The actual writing down of the research and experience allows one to think it through. You are now not just flying by the seat of your pants. Understand that this has nothing to do with being a ‘detail’ person it is just helping to organize your learning process.
Liking the subject that you are dealing with helps but is not absolutely necessary. If you love cars, you may do some of this automatically but on the other hand if you are not a total car ‘nut’ it works just as well: the more you learn and put your thoughts together in writing, the more understanding you will have and the more you will like cars or whatever it is that you are researching and writing about.
I have been selling one particular product for years and have researched the “whys and wherefores” of this product very thoroughly. Part of my time is spent in direct sales in addition to selling the product online. I have sold this product with other sales people for several years and working beside them and answering their questions has helped train them. The knowledge I gained from my research and writing helped increase their sales considerably.
A hundred people may have written on a certain subject but you will find your own view and with that your own experience. If nothing else the writing out of what you have learned will help organize your thoughts and help make more sense of it.
If you are going to do this, just start. Take a subject get some information about it and then write. Don’t try and be perfect the first time or the second time. Just get your thoughts down based on what you have learned or experienced. As you do this on a regular basis you will find that you get more out of the travel or driving that car. You will be more connected and that will communicate.
For example if you are writing about your travels: you may find yourself asking more questions of the locals or tasting the wine differently and generally experiencing things more thoroughly knowing that you are going to write in your journal that night.
Again, don’t worry about being perfect the first time or the second time or the third time. And do not let anyone criticize your work. Never. Keep your own counsel on your writing. (More on that later.) Just keep writing and trying to organize your writing to make it communicate more clearly each time.
You will become more focused feel smarter.