Chapter 204

The word “attention” in psychology is a catchall referring to any process that influences what information from the world breaks through and affects your thinking. - Art Markman

The world is desperately trying to break in and affect your thinking. All of marketing and advertising and sales and social media and most social conversations are aimed and intentioned at affecting your thinking and your actions. This corralling and refocusing of your thoughts and actions toward someone else’s agenda and purpose, is the bulk of the vast energy and resources and creativity generated in the world on any given day.

Buy my dress, use my makeup, this car is the one successful people drive, we are certainly the most cutthroat law firm, this diet is the one where you can eat all you want and lose weight, this medicine is perfect for you (except for all these side effects), there is a pill somewhere that can fix everything, every winner drinks this particular beer, the fountain of youth is right here in this bottle, your sex drive will never wane with this med, this gas burns faster better cheaper than that gas, this additive will make your car run like new, all of the cleverest folks use this smartphone, and this grocery store is far better than the one next door, etc. etc.

The truth or falsity of any of these advertisements is irrelevant, you have missed the point if that is your focus. The point is your attention. I am pretty sure that 90% of you knew what product I was talking about in each point above. Stop!

Be the gatekeeper of your own attention.