Attention (Merriam-Webster):
A:
the act or state of applying the mind to something
B:
a condition of readiness for such attention involving especially a selective
narrowing or focusing of consciousness and receptivity
I
once read about a man in the 13th century who traveled hundreds of
miles over difficult terrain for the opportunity of communicating with a Zen
Master. I say, “communicate,” because this Guru did not speak out loud, he
would only write.
Seeker: Master, please …
after all the decades of your searching for enlightenment … what is the key to
wisdom?
Guru: (Taking piece of
charcoal and writing on stone) Attention
Seeker: What?
Guru: Attention! Attention!
Seeker: You aren’t
understanding me … I am seeking after wisdom…
Guru: Attention! Attention! Attention!
Yes,
yes, well said Mr. Miyagi! Attaining wisdom demands we pay attention. However,
this begs the question: to what or to whom? Ahhhh, yes, Daniel-san, Miyagi has
hope for you. Attention is context specific: within this or that context, what
are my goals, what is my mission, my purpose here, and what behaviors will keep me moving toward success? Our
attention then is focused upon congruence between context, our goals within
that context, and behaviors.
If I am in a business meeting
and my attention is on my children at home, there is a lack of congruence, yes?
My mental energies are focused someplace other than my present context which
will have an adverse effect on my behavior and, subsequently, the attainment of
my goals
If I am on a date with my
significant other and my goal or purpose is for her to feel loved and adored
and my attention is focused on business, my behaviors will not support my goal.
The
reality is that my behaviors are going to follow the direction of my focused
consciousness. I can say all I want that I am focused on this business task,
the diet I am on, or the relationship I have with this person or those people.
However, if my attention is consistently somewhere else, sooner or later, my
behaviors will point in the direction of where I am actually applying my mind.
Note:
I can be aware that my child is at
home sick with the flu and still pay attention to my goals in the business
meeting. I can be aware of the fact
that there are important matters to take care of at the office and still focus
my attention on my date. Conversely, I can also be aware that my business or relationships are failing and not be
focusing my attention on their success. Awareness is not attention.
Chunking
up from particular contexts in my life to my life over-all: what I pay
attention to is what I am going to get more of. This can be a good thing, or
not so good. On the other hand, what I do not focus my attention upon will
(potentially) wither and die. This can also be a good thing or not so good!
One
of the first things you learn when you are being trained to drive at high
speeds is that you will go in the direction of your focused attention. If you
are looking at that looming wall your reflexes will take you in that
direction. Look at where you want the car
to go.
Switching
metaphors for a moment: what you feed increases its capacity for growing. What
you starve dies. Over time, we “feed” what we are paying attention to. We
“starve” what we are not paying attention to.
Pay attention to your
health, you will get healthier.
Pay attention to what will make you more successful in your career, the possibilities for success increase.
Pay attention to the health
of the relationships that are important to you, those relationships will
deepen.
Pay attention to increasing
in wisdom and understanding in every context of your life, your wisdom will expand.
Don’t pay attention to any
of these things and the possibility that they will ever be yours is minimal to
no-way.
The
first step to success in all contexts of life is Attention! Attention! Attention!
Copyright, Monte E Wilson, 2012
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