Earlier quoted context omitted.
> "The chess players are forgetting to eat. " This surprises me. I find that being hungry dulls my edge and makes me noticeably less clever. It's easy for me to forget to eat if I'm doing something mindless, but when I'm actively problem solving I find that I become more aware of my hunger (and other forms of general discomfort.)
Odd. I find the high from being hungry makes me output my best work. I feel sharper and energized.
Perhaps the effects of discomfort on concentration are malleable, not inherit traits of the individual. Maybe, with the right kind of expectations and mindset, I could make the sensation of hunger work for me instead of against me.