MAY I HAVE MY ATTENTION PLEASE?
This tongue-in-cheek title comes courtesy of columnist Hugh O'Neill, and I thank him kindly for it. Because as you may recall, we last talked about our thoughts and the profound effect they can have on our everyday lives. What we didn't discuss, however, is what it takes to effectively assemble those thoughts. Or what might best be described as, the cost of paying attention.
It was Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, "There are many things of which a wise man may wish to be ignorant." Here (in no particular order) are a few of my own personal favorites.
Must see TV (yea right)
Late breaking news and headlines (i.e. car chases and sex scandals)
Saturday morning rituals that are anything but enriching
Stock market volatility
Octomom's growing pains
Gadget Mania (user friendly my ass)
Keeping up with the Kardashians
CNN
TMZ
Compulsive rubbernecking
Quick Fixes and Short Cuts (even though they may be all the rage)
These are just some examples of the kinds of things I try to shun or ignore. Bear in mind however that it's all a matter of choice. The trick of course is to choose; to filter out some of those swindling "time bandits" that can so often rob us of far bigger and better things. Now this doesn't mean ya gotta go bury your head in the sand, not at all, just get your mind outta the clutter.
AM/PM (the popular convenience store chain) has a slogan: Too Much Good Stuff, and the way I see it that's exactly what we're dealing with here. This round-the-clock barrage of infotainment we're being hammered with these days, this dizzying deluge of sensory overload isn't so much a bad thing as it is waaaaay too much of a good thing. Of course as it turns out that's also what makes it so damn debilitating. What I mean by that is not only does all this "good stuff" make it increasingly difficult to stay focused and on task, but (and here's the kicker) it makes it far too easy not to as well. It's a %$@&*^ double edged sword I tell ya.
Martha Beck, author of Finding Your Own North Star, says that the inner voice of our true self is so small and slight that virtually any distraction can drown it out, especially when we're just beginning to hear it. Without a doubt there are more things vying for our attention these days than ever before. The question is, are you ready to take back your inherent right to pay attention and begin listening to that inner voice? Are you willing to give it a sincere and "concentrated" effort? Are you personally prepared to engage in a one-on-one battle with these modern day weapons of mass distraction? If so, your best line of defense is to quietly disengage, and to consider for a nanosecond not only what all these things can do for ya, but also, what they keep ya from doin.
"The ability to focus one's attention is one of the sharpest tools a man can have," says O'Neill, and I for one fully concur. So don't be surprised if I can't tell ya who got kicked off the island last week, or if I come across a bit dumbfounded when it comes to smart phones and the like. Rag mags, ipods and long-winded post game shows, hey, call me ignorant, it's okay really. Better that than thoughtless. See ya next time. Till then, keeep it up.
