Solipsism is one of the most ridiculous philosophical notions ever espoused.  Although there are many variants, the basic idea is that you and your thoughts are the only things that exist.  Or as the great philosopher Trent Reznor so aptly put it, “There is no fucking you, there is only me.”

You may be more familiar with the question posed as “If a tree falls in the woods and there’s no one there to hear it fall, does it still make a sound?”  That question epitomizes traditional solipsism.  Back in the day, philosophers thought it necessary to posit the notion of God (all knowing, and who would obviously hear everything) to be the hearer of all such fallen trees.  Should man fail to hear them fall, God’s ears would save the day.

So how does one recycle this nonsense into something useful in the real world?  The key word here is focus.  Focus so clear that you and what you are working on become the only things that exist.  Not in actuality (like the rambling delusions of the solipsist), but as a mindset that enables you to unleash a laser sharp focus on the task at hand.  Whatever that is.  Be it work, play, sports, or even sex.  Leverage a self generated sense that the world beyond ceases to exist, even if only momentarily.