Awareness and Focus
There is a Zen philosophy out there that has been practiced by many coaches, athletes and gamblers, and that is to be aware over being smart. Every person who looks for control of their life needs to be present in the moment. When Buddhism speaks of being awakened, it is being present, here and now directly experiencing daily life in each moment. Consequently, when turning over any aspect of life to one’s instincts, gambler or anything else, you must always be very alert to what you are doing, how you are grounded and whatever is present.
The point is to make every activity in daily life a precise movement, and with clear precise attention. Every activity that you engage in that includes:
- Throwing out the rubbish
- Tying your shoe
- Washing the dishes
- Driving
- Eating
All these activities still require good practice of being aware. If say you were tying your shoe, even though it is an activity that you have engaged in all of your life and am completely able to complete them in second nature, mistakes still occur. You can be distracted, or lose focus whilst tying your shoe and find yourself having to retie your shoe laces. While losing focus whilst driving can result in a sudden jam break or sharp turn to correct the loss of focus. Lose focus, and all the past experience, flow and skill that you have does not matter anymore.
Gut instinct is an amazing and dazzling weapon whenever we are in the heat of battle and rely on it to slice our opponents, but by itself, it is not enough. Focus is it’s equal sidekick. Without each other, they cannot function and the whole system breaks down. All top gamblers always have an incredible ability to focus and maintain awareness.
