When we hear the word choice, we usually connect it with a decision to either do one thing or another. Choices are things that we are conscious of thinking about. We tend to view them as deliberate.
But what about our attention? Where do we spend our time throughout our day? Is it a choice or isn’t it?
The reason that it is hard to answer this question is because a lot of what we do and pay attention to, throughout our day, is mindless. Things are done out of habit or familiar routine. Interruptions and other people’s needs steal our attention — not of our own choosing.
Our attention, and where we focus it, is at the center of our lives. Every minute the clock ticks, our eyes, ears, and mind are focused on something. Think about that. Every minute that we are awake.
If we were to record the time spent on each thing we focus on throughout the day and weeks to follow, you will begin to see a pattern of our interests. For things we are interested in, are things we spend time on.
Where the leverage exists is in then deciding, once we categorize our attention or make it explicit and mindful in our lives, should I continue doing the same thing or is there something else I could be doing with that time that would have more value? This is where the power of choice really shines.
Busy people always find time to do more. Average people are too quick to say that they have no time. Why? Because they do not have a clear idea of where their attention is focused on throughout the day. Nor do they realize, that through the power of choice, they too have the power to find the time to do more.
Does your attention match your interests or your goals (for they are different: interests satisfy today while goals are what you hope to achieve in the future)? It’s for you to decide. My only caution is that because time passes quickly, always try to choose wisely what you will pay attention to. For nothing ever happens in a day and without our attention NOTHING will ever happen by itself.
Your attention, is the most valuable resource you have —
each second of every day that you are awake..
It’s that simple yet that hard to use your attention wisely.