Attention Theft: How to Remain at Cause Over The Hijacking of Your Own Mind

In the current environment you may sometimes feel that your attention is on a thousand different things.

In actuality it’s not on a thousand different things, but that’s what it feels like, right?

And this is important to understand with respect to your attention because one, it’s your attention. 

And two because it’s being covertly and overtly hijacked.

Let’s start with the definition of attention:

Attention: the act or state of applying the mind to something.

There are several definitions for attention but the simple truth is it is an act of applying your mind to something.

And applying is the key word.

Because it is a causative action. 

When you help your teenager with his or her homework you most certainly apply your attention.

When you are preparing a proposal for a client or helping a customer with a problem, you are applying your attention.

The root of the word attention comes from Latin literally an “active direction of the mind” “to stretch toward.” Active direction.

Stretch toward.

These are causative actions. These are actions you knowingly take to put or place your attention on someone or something.

Now let's take this a step further.

A Day in the Life:

Have you in recent times felt your attention more dispersed?

Have you thought of “things you need to do” yet when you get home from work despite the available time, you have a difficult time applying your mind to these things?

Or “you will get to these things on the weekend,” and yet the weekend arrives and maybe a few things get done, but not because of your lack of resolve, but because your attention has been under assault.

Think about that for a moment.

YOUR ATTENTION HAS BEEN UNDER ASSAULT.

And assault might bring an image of physical threats. 

Well, you may not have been on the receiving end of a physical threat but you may have witnessed on  social media or TV a flow from others to others where you cannot believe you are watching the actual assault of good individuals. 

Observing this flow in itself shocks your system into an attention deficit.

After you’ve seen too much your attention goes into overload and you scroll off, turn it off, or turn away. 

And often because of the sheer insanity of it you get enraged. 

And now where is your attention?

See, outside of the actions that you are intimately involved with like your work and your family, your attention will be usurped by events either real or invented or both.

These events not only disperse your already taxed attention span, but also covertly derail your ability to apply your mind to new things and getting things done.

The key thing to understand is the application of your mind to something is under siege. 

You may feel tired or listless or “I’ve had enough of wearing this mask.”

And that’s not unexpected.

But if you find yourself with projects or things you have trouble applying your mind too, this is the real threat. 

Because if someone can, by covert or overt means direct and disperse  your attention, then the control of your ability to apply your mind in an active direction has shifted. 

The hijacker has co-opted a seat in the back of the plane in your head. 

He may not have moved close enough to hold a plastic knife to your throat threatening your life. 

But the shift of attention has gone from you being cause to being effect in the blink of an eye. 

The attention thieves have slipped into your consciousness in the middle of the night like a thief. 

And these attention thieves are not there to steal your jewelry or TV. 

They are there to steal your life force or elan vital. 

They are there to rob you of your ability to apply your mind in a certain direction. 

THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO CONTROL THE DIRECTION. 

And for what purpose?

The same as any thief.

So your attention disperses off the parts of your life you find joy and creativity in and onto the dispersal and suppression. 

What Happened to Your Life: 

You’re making your husband eggs before he goes off to work and suddenly your phone pings and your attention shifts to a disturbing text forwarded to you from “friend” on Facebook. You start typing furiously back to her. 

Your husband looks up at you as he is very aware that you are upset. 

He looks over at the stove and sees his eggs crackling in the skillet. 

He sips his orange juice and interrupts you and says, “Honey I need to go as I’m running a bit late.”

You look up from your text and apologize, set your phone down and serve your husband his breakfast. 

Your husband drives to work thinking, “Whatever happened to those mornings with soft lap kisses?”  he would get from you. 

Lap kisses?

You mean genuine real time affection in the morning?

YOU’VE GOT NO TIME FOR THAT. See?

The Answer to Attention Theft:

The answer to this attention hijacking is not necessarily easy, but it is something everyone can do.

The first thing is to step back and become more aware of just how deep this attention thieves have embedded themselves in your own life. 

And I’m telling you it takes some inspection.

Since this has been going on for sometime, you may find it already in your bloodstream and part of your normal everyday life.

It is not normal nor should it be in any of our everyday lives.

Also, you cannot be cavalier about it if you want to change things.

The next step is to understand this basic definition of attention:

Attention: the act or state of applying the mind to something.

The key to this is how much of your attention has been stolen, and how able are you to apply your mind to something productive.

Even as productive as you are does it sometimes feel like your attention has been “all used up” by the daily actions you’re involved in?

Sure it does. 

But it’s not the entire truth.

You will feel more attention deficit because of the subtle shift from cause to effect. 

It only feels this way.  

You can knowingly shift back  the direction of your attention to those undone projects or goals.

Will you feel tired? You bet.

Will you procrastinate?

It will happen. 

Will you want to just take a breather so you can go another day?

Most likely.

But these are all symptoms of attention theft. 

The flight attendant knew immediately what was going down when the plastic knife pierced the skin on her neck. 

The attention thieves haven’t got that far into our lives yet but I’m willing to bet your attention will often wonder just how far down river this hijacking is going. 

There are hair salon owners and other small business owners that don’t own that which they once owned and now their attention, elan vital, and livelihood have radically shifted direction, and out of pure survival are applying what attention they do have in a new direction. 

Since the attention thieves are covert, there won’t be any platform you might be on from Instagram to Facebook to Netflix to TV that you won’t be aware of how this shift is occurring. 

You can turn off your TV, cancel your Netflix, and try to only watch content that is more upbeat. 

You will be doing just fine enjoying some funny videos or your sisters newborn pics. And just as you’re getting some much needed enjoyable content someone thinks you need to know about pedophilia because this is something that needs debate. 

See, while they hijack your attention, there’s an covert and outright overt attempt to blur your ability to discern a basic sense of right and wrong. 

But they want you to consider this idea, see? 

Which is like putting too much chlorine in your pool and asking you if your eyes will burn as you swim. 

The truth is the only thing you need to consider is how much are the attention thieves embedded in your life. 

For real. And you have to ask yourself how empowered do you feel each day to accomplish not just your business or career goals, but to truly create the meaning and joy in your life that you feel too tired or exhausted to create.

The answer to the hijackers is to take the plane back.

It’s your plane. 

It’s your life force. 

It’s your life. 

It can feel like your attention is used up but it’s not true. 

It’s just not true. 

It only feels that way.

And if you can feel defeated, if you can feel too tired to kiss your husband goodbye in the morning or give your wife a much needed backrub at night, then they take more ground.

The reason I emphasize this definition of attention of the act or state of applying the mind to something is the key word applying.

If you want to steal something that is the very nature of an immortal spiritual being you would invade his or her space and covertly suppress their ability to be a causative agent in the world. 

And by massive dispersal and oppression, suppress their ability to apply their attention with their hard won knowledge, skills, and talents to their business or livelihood and by sheer mental exhaustion make them feel any expansive or creative efforts are futile. 

They make the pool water look clear but your eyes are still stinging from the chlorine so you do not swim. 

No.

Absolutely not. 

There is no plastic knife. 

YOUR ATTENTION BELONGS TO YOU.

It’s value is only in how much you are able to apply your mind to your goals and dreams. 

To be causative in an environment that seeks to control, corrupt, and suppress your innate ability to apply your mind in a certain direction. 

Listen: The direction of and application of your mind in the current environment will take more personal discipline and resolve. 

It will. 

Because when you feel the suppression---just feel it---your emotional tone can drop. 

And this is where the shift occurs.

I know it may be a life alert but the phrase “under siege” means:

“being severely criticized or put under a great deal of pressure.”

Hello?

It’s roots come from Latin “to seat.”

Right. 

Like take a seat. 

You know, “Pipe down.”

No.

Absolutely not.

Stand up and direct your attention to those projects, goals, and dreams that despite the suppression you make happen for real. 

Because the only shift that’s important in the world today is to take full responsibility for your application of your mind and be a causative agent in the world.

Go after your projects, goals, and dreams with a vengeance. 

You need it.

Your spouse needs it. 

Your kids need it.

We all need it.

And each day by taking a causative step, we all win.

I offer a free 45 minute phone consultation for any personal, marital, or business problem.

Click on the link below to find out more:

www.daveworthen.com