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Duncan and his magician teacher, Meerfus, were at the market. They went to the market several times a month, especially for fresh vegetables or ingredients for wands. One never could tell what would be useful in a wand. Meerfus lingered by some cages of various birds. He eyed a few chickens critically, and Duncan watched, trying to guess the reasoning behind Meerfus' interest. "Will we make a wand that helps you fly?" Asked Duncan excitedly. Flying seemed pretty fun, after all. Meerfus raised an eyebrow at him, as if he were crazy. "I'm thinking about dinner, Duncan."

"Oh." Duncan said, crestfallen that it was something as simple as that. Meerfus selected a chicken in a wicker cage, paid for it, and handed the cage to Duncan to carry. The anxious bird squawked loudly and pecked at his fingers through the cage. Duncan carried it dutifully, feeling foolish. Next, they stopped by some farmers' tables. Meerfus selected some cucumbers, a sack of potatoes, which they put in their rolling cart, and some tomatoes on the vine. "Will those vines help us make a magic wand that tangles up people's feet?" Duncan inquired. Meerfus eyed his apprentice again. "No, they're for a salad. We need something to eat with our chicken."

Duncan sighed, wrong again, and trudged alongside his master. They next stopped at a booth that sold fishing supplies. There were all manners of hooks, lures and fishing implements. Meerfus seemed particularly interested in the fishing flies, ones that looked almost like butterflies or mayflies with hidden hooks. "Are we going to make a wand that helps you catch fish with the those flies?" worried, asked Duncan. He'd already been wrong twice. Could his intuitions be so wrong? Meerfus laughed. "No, I actually enjoy fishing. I was thinking about going again in the river down the road."

Duncan groaned in frustration. "How am I so wrong today? I cannot believe you are not trying to get things for wands! How am I so clueless?" Meerfus laughed, shaking his head. "You are not as wrong as you think, just distracted. You didn't notice me pick up pheasant feathers while you handled the chicken. Those are for a wand of slow descent, which helps people fall without getting hurt. That is something like flying, right?" "And the vegetables?" Duncan asked suspiciously. "The flowers from cucumber vines are not only pretty, but they do help in a wand of coloured lights, a wand of plant growth, or a wand of dazzling." "Was there anything at the fishing booth? There had to be."

Meerfus winked at his student. "What do you think?" Duncan thought hard, trying to remember what else Meerfus had touched or bought. "Was it the fishing line that you bought?" "Exactly; it does make for a great wand of fish catching once we get some fish scales!" Duncan laughed in relief. His instincts were not so wrong - he just had to be more observant. It was all in the details!

There is nothing more frustrating than when you sit down at your table to study with the most sincere of intentions and instead of being able to finish the task at hand, you find your thoughts wandering. However, there are certain techniques that you can use to enhance your concentration. “Your concentration level depends on a number of factors,” says Sonali Ghosh, a social counsellor. “In order to develop your concentration span, it is necessary to examine various facts of your physical and internal environment,” she adds. To begin with, one should attempt to create the physical environment that is conducive to focussed thought. Whether it is the radio, TV or your noisy neighbours, identify the factors that make it difficult for you to focus. For instance, if you live in a very noisy neighbourhood, you could try to plan your study hours in a nearby library.
She disagrees with the notion that people can concentrate or study in an environment with distractions like a loud television, blaring music, etc. “If you are distracted when you are attempting to focus, your attention and retention powers do not work at optimum levels,” cautions Ghosh, “Not more than two of your senses should be activated at the same time,” she adds. What that means is that music that sets your feet tapping is not the ideal accompaniment to your books. Also, do not place your study table or desk in front of a window. “While there is no cure for a mind that wants to wander, one should try and provide as little stimulus as possible. Looking out of a window when you are trying to concentrate will invariably send your mind on a tangent,” says Ghosh. The second important thing, she says, is to establish goals for oneself instead of setting a general target and then trying to accomplish what you can in a haphazard fashion. It is very important to decide what you have to finish in a given span of time. The human mind recognises fixed goals and targets and appreciates schedules more than random thoughts. Once your thoughts and goals are in line, a focussed system will follow.
She recommends that you divide your schedule into study and recreation hours. When you study, choose a mix of subjects that you enjoy and dislike and save the former for the last so that you have something to look forward to. For instance, if you enjoy verbal skill tests more than mathematical problems, then finish Maths first. Not only will you find yourself working harder, you will have a sense of achievement when you wind up.
Try not to sit for more than 40 minutes at a stretch. Take a very short break to make a cup of tea or listen to a song and sit down again. Under no circumstances, should one sit for more than one and a half hours. Short breaks build your concentration and refresh your mind. However, be careful not to overdo the relaxation. It may have undesired effects. More than anything else, do not get disheartened. Concentration is merely a matter of disciplining the mind. It comes with practice and patience and does not take very long to become a habit for life.