We are constantly drawing the bow of attention and shooting the arrow of focus. Over and over and over again. But, what are YOU aiming for (if anything at all)?
I’ve always been the kind of person to avoid drama and negativity and complications as much as possible.
Not that I’m afraid of conflict or details – more just that I feel we have a very limited amount of focus and attention in life. It’s too easy to get distracted by meaningless and trivial things rather than working on what’s really important to us.
According to www.statisticbrain.com research shows that (at least in the context of using the Internet):
- The average human attention span in 2015 was 8.25 seconds.
- The average human attention span in 2000 was 12 seconds.
- The average goldfish attention span is 9 seconds. (That’s longer than the average person browsing the Internet.)
In today’s day and age, attention is one of the most sought after commodities.
Why?
Because that is what can make or break wealth, fame, success, happiness, health, fitness, relationships, motivation, and so many other things that people covet.
- Centuries ago things like manual labour and craftsmanship (think slavery, assembly lines, artisans, etc) were highly sought after.
- Then, with the abundance of labour available it shifted more towards things like technology and engineering (think electricity, gunpowder, the Internet, etc).
- Then, with the advancement of technology it became knowledge and information (think education, entertainment, communication, etc).
- Now, with the Internet and Globalisation there is an increasingly overwhelming amount of easily accessible information at the touch of a button, the world values attention above all else.
The companies and celebrities and blockbusters and charities that can grab and hold the most attention from everyone tend to be the most successful. It doesn’t even need to be productive or “good” attention (think Miley Cyrus or Kanye West) – they still control it.
Likewise, the individuals who can retain as much of their own attention as possible and focus it on the right stuff also tend to be the most successful.
What are you focusing on?
We are constantly drawing the bow of attention and shooting the arrow of focus. Over and over and over again.
But, what are we aiming for?
Well, that is up to us…
We make much less actual autonomous decisions than we like to think we do. Rather, so much of our actions and thoughts are influenced and controlled by our environment.
This is why things like goals, deadlines, schedules, routines, habits, and systems are so important. Much more so than the nitty gritty details.
James Clear writes well about using systems to accomplish your goals, build habits, and stay focused if you are interested: https://jamesclear.com/goals-systems
With all this said, we can’t always fight ALL distractions.
Sometimes we need to learn how to use them to our advantage.
For example: Facebook is generally considered to be one of the biggest modern distractions. It can absolutely destroy productivity and create an overwhelming sense of FOMO and anxiety.
But… It can also be used for good. Just look at Sleekgeek.
I don’t know about you, but I spend probably 90% of my time on Facebook directly focusing on Sleekgeek itself. Both in my official work capacity and in my private leisure time.
Within Sleekgeek, we have systems to help you focus further, like:
- The 30-Day REBOOT Nutrition Challenge
- The 30-Day Healthy Habits Challenge
- The 30-Day Move More Challenge
- The 8-Week ULTIMATE YOU Body Transformation Challenge
- Our premium Precision Nutrition Coaching program
All of these are designed to help you draw your bow of attention and shoot your arrow of focus on things that will make you better and healthier.
Likewise, coming back to adidas ‘s new #FindFocus campaign and their Zero Negative Energy Hoodie, I feel they give credence to what it takes to Find Focus and stay mentally strong. Block out the noise and distractions and negative stuff – focus on YOU and what you want to achieve.
