Do Medieval Monks Have the Answers When It Comes to Concentrating and Ignoring Distraction? Have Distractions Always Been a Problem For Humanity? Are Distractions & Lack of Focus Bad? episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 9, 2023 · 27 MIN

Do Medieval Monks Have the Answers When It Comes to Concentrating and Ignoring Distraction? Have Distractions Always Been a Problem For Humanity? Are Distractions & Lack of Focus Bad?

from The Best Paragraph I've Read... · host Zac & Don

The Best Paragraph I've Read: MEDIEVAL MONKS WERE, in many ways, the original LinkedIn power users. Earnest and with a knack for self-promotion, they loved to read and share inspiring stories of other early Christians who had shown remarkable commitment to their work. There was Sarah, who lived next to a river without ever once looking in its direction, such was her dedication to her faith. James prayed so intently during a snowstorm that he was buried in snow and had to be dug out by his neighbors. But none of these early devotees could ward off distraction like Pachomius. The 4th-century monk weathered a parade of demons that transformed into naked women, rumbled the walls of his dwelling, and tried to make him laugh with elaborate comedy routines. Pachomius didn’t even glance in their direction. For early Christian writers, Pachomius and his ilk set a high bar for concentration that other monks aspired to match. These super-concentrators were the first millennium embodiment of #workgoals, #hustle, and #selfimprovement. This paragraph comes from Wired.com.  The article is titled: "Easily Distracted? You Need to Think Like a Medieval Monk."  The article is written by Matt Reynolds.  You can read the full article here: https://www.wired.com/story/medieval-monks-distraction/ Zac and Don consider the plight of Medieval Monks trying to avoid distraction.  They wonder if our world today is any different than their world when it comes to distractions and how to avoid them.  They discuss whether the monks can serve as an inspiration for us today.  They also wonder if being distracted is a bad thing.  

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Do Medieval Monks Have the Answers When It Comes to Concentrating and Ignoring Distraction? Have Distractions Always Been a Problem For Humanity? Are Distractions & Lack of Focus Bad?

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