There’s a quiet revolution happening, and it starts with sliding your phone into your pocket instead of clutching it in your palm.  Young adults today stand at a crossroads between two worlds:  the carefully curated digital universe and the messy, beautiful reality waiting just beyond the screen.  The choice you make might define your generation’s legacy.

We often hear about mindfulness, focus, and “being present,” but ancient philosophies offer deeper framework to understand how our minds work.  Among these is a distinction between two powerful mental states: awareness (觉，jué) and illumination (照，zhào).  These are not just abstract ideas, they are practical tools for navigating thoughts, emotions, and daily life.

Motivation vs. Self-Discipline: What’s the Difference and Why You Need Both

The attention needs to go from very a very general and broad area to a very focused and pinpointed target.

When you practice with no pattern, your mind becomes sharp and it opens to everything around you while you are still focusing on the move.

When you shoot pool, what is the goal? ...Focus on exactly what you want and where you want to go. That’s called intent.