The next time you watch a baseball game, notice how intently the pitcher stares at the catcher before delivering the pitch. Or, when you are at a concert or watching one on television, observe how the performers glue their eyes on the conductor to ensure starting right together. The pitcher and the musicians are using concentration to do exactly what is needed to perform their best. Concentration is one of the keys to success; it is an absolute essential to high performance.

Intense concentration improves your performance and releases the power of your mental potential, no matter what you are doing. Just as you use only a small fraction of your physical abilities, you habitually make use of only a small portion of your brain capacity. You can be reasonably successful when you use only a fraction of your ability, but you can perform even better if you concentrate and tap some of your unused power.

Everyone can improve concentration. Even though concentration begins with a simple decision to concentrate, it takes practice and it may not be easy at first. Take these steps to improve your ability to focus your mental powers and concentrate:

Relax. When you are nervous, worried, or "keyed up," your body cannot perform at its best. Before you begin any important activity, take deep rhythmic breaths until your body is relaxed. Explore other methods of relaxation to discover what works best for you.

Try this concentration exercise. Picture in your mind a blackboard in a classroom with a single number written on it. Concentrate on this number for a while, then imagine beside it another digit, and then add a third. Continue adding digits until you are no longer able to hold together the picture of the new largest number. A book from your local library can give you further suggested exercises for improving your power of concentration.

Learn how to tune out distracting influences. Practice the art of ignoring distracting noises and sights. To begin, try to tune out television commercials, street noises, and other distractions. The ability to eliminate distractions will prove valuable to you when you must perform at your best.

Make concentration a habit. Discipline your mind when you are doing important work. Concentrating on everything you do makes it easier to focus your thoughts on reaching your important goals. Concentration can boost your performance to levels higher than you ever thought possible!