Pay Attention

Today, we will have many distractions. We have them every day. Our phones will buzz. At work, a coworker will change our focus because something is hot. They will come to us either in person or by some electronic means. Of course, their concern is the most important to them, but we may have others demanding the same precious amount of attention. In a world full of distractions, how do we know what we should pay attention to?

If we’re not careful, we can be dragged in so many directions that nothing of value gets done. The Book, Deep Work, by Cal Newport, opened my eyes to this challenge. This quote summed it up for me.

“We tend to place a lot of empasis on our circumstances, assuming that what happens to us (or fails to happen) determines how we feel.”

Newport, Cal. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. Grand Central, 2016. 

Swayed by Circumstances

When I thought this phrase, I pondered how silly that could be. Circumstances happen all the time. Many of them are out of our control. We can’t predict how others are going to react. A supply chain has so many links, no one can control how or when supplies will get to us. We thought we could rely on it until we couldn’t. Were we ever really in control, or did we buy into the illusion of control?

If we focus on circumstances, we will be swayed by bad news, others’ demands, and the whims of fate and fortune. But what if we are on the right track and circumstances haven’t yet caught up with the future results? We can give up way before it is time.

Eye on the Prize

Pay attention! If we focus on our circumstances, how we feel, and the distractions of others, we are going to get off track very quickly. While we need to acknowledge our feelings, is far better to manage them and keep our eye on the prize. It will give us endurance and will help give us strength under pressure.

Cal’s book focuses on the digital distractions that keep us from doing deep, meaningful work. People as well as a buzzing phone with the latest distraction can equally keep us from paying attention. This week, I’m going to keep my focus on this particular topic.