Bernie Anderson

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Attention: More Important Than Time

This is not the first place you’ve heard this. It won’t be the last.

At least I hope it won’t.

The day in which we live - this day - today - is beckoning to take away one of your most important assets.

It’s not your money, or your job, or your house or your car. Or any other earthly possession. It’s not your family, or your friends, or your coworkers, or your dignity. But if this goes, it will affect everything else.

And if the first thing you looked at today was your phone, you’re in danger.

The entire online world is vying for your attention.

This is no secret. We know that companies have spent incredible research dollars to game the human brain so that we keep scrolling.

Instagram had a technical glitch the other day. They required people to scroll sideways instead of up and down. It was awkward. It was less fun. No one liked it. Twitter blew up with complaints.

They changed it back within the hour because Instagram wants and needs your attention and my attention - even more than they want your time. If they have your attention, they have your time.

I’m part of the guilty ones. I want you to read this blog. I will post this on social media so that you’ll see it. Click it. Read it. Like it. Share it.

Banality.

That said, please think about your attention. Don’t just give it away for free to anyone and everyone who seeks it. You’ll never accomplish anything important, good, and world-building. World-changing.

We are not paying attention to where our attention goes.

At the end of the day, we don’t know what we’ve done.

And the years go by.

And we don’t know where the time has gone.

This kind of loss is prevented with paying attention to your attention.

Change your morning priority from checking your phone to breathing, drinking a lot of water, and reflection. Ban screens for the first hour of your day. Take a walk. Drink your coffee. Read a book. Talk to your loved ones. Ask questions. Think. Drink more coffee, if you have to.

Control your attention.