Review: The Practicing Mind: Bringing Discipline and Focus Into Your Life by Thomas M. Sterner

The Practicing Mind: Bringing Discipline and Focus Into Your Life
By Thomas M. Sterner
Reviewed by Sabrina Williams for Armchair Interviews

Accomplished musician Thomas M. Sterner spent years learning to play the piano, but it was learning the sport of golf that taught him the dynamics of practice. Through observation of his classmates, Sterner began to notice key motivational flaws that keep us in an unyielding state of confusion and discontent. Today’s over stimulated society is focused on multitasking to the point that we are unable to concentrate on a single task. At any given time, our minds race from events in the past to worries about the future, but we are seldom living in the present. We measure success based on where we are in relation to our goals or where advertisements tell us we should be.

Sterner argues that the exhaustion we pile on ourselves to achieve is useless and self defeating. We struggle to achieve perfection, but perfection is a myth, as our concept of perfection is constantly changing and moving away from us. To reach one milestone means that a dozen more are lining up in front of us. Sterner’s solution is to live in the present and realize that practice is the goal, not the end result. Therefore, no matter what stage we are at, if we are practicing, we are always in a state of perfection and always successful.

Learning to take a step back from life, observe situations and direct our actions without invoking emotion make up Sterner’s “DOC” (do, observe, correct) method. He encourages us to immerse ourselves in the process of practice rather than constantly comparing ourselves to the ideal. His four “S” words--simplify, small, short, and slow—help to bring attention to the present and provide the ability to enjoy life, which is one enormous process (or practice) in itself.

In Sterner’s words, “There are not that many ideas in this book—just a few, and they have always been there for us to discover. But they slip away from us in our daily lives so easily.” Through the process of practice, Sterner has managed to fit an incredible amount of wisdom into the 98 pages of The Practicing Mind.

©2007 Sabrina Williams for Armchair Interviews

*Sterner's other releases through Mountain Sage Publishing include a CD titled The Meditating Mind and a 4-CD set titled The Practicing Mind. If the quality of these CDs is anything like the quality of the book, they are well worth a listen.

Read this review at Armchair Interviews.