Do the external things which fall upon you distract you?

Commentary on Meditations 2.7

Focus.

Keep your eye on the sparrow. That’s what Marcus Aurelius is reminding himself to do in 2.7.

To that end, he also suggests a powerful technique for avoiding distraction that anyone can use.

2.7

Do the external things which fall upon you distract you?

Give yourself time to learn something new and good and cease to be whirled about.

But then you must also avoid being carried about the other way.

For those too are time wasters who have wearied themselves in life by their activity, and yet have no object to direct every movement, and, in a word, all their thoughts.

Notes on 2.7

How do you regain focus?