STOP. YOU NEED TO READ THIS. Where was your attention just a moment ago? You’re likely seeing this in your email feed while surfing your updates, subscriptions, news articles, and other blog posts. They’ve all been designed to fish for your attention, and a quick release isn’t part of the plan. 

There are people and organizations that are working overtime to redirect and manipulate your attention.

The question is: Are they more aware and careful in how you spend your attention than you are?

The act of focusing on what we focus on pays enormous dividends.

Paying attention to attention | Seth’s Blog

As a result of her willingness to ponder this idea, I was freed to spend some time to take her Uncle Ron golfing for the afternoon.

For me, I started reading Seth Godin well over a decade ago.  When he first started writing about “the attention economy” I had mild interest.  But as his Nostradomus-like forecasting has become a reality I have continued to think, ” WOW – he really figured us out!”

Today, this idea continues to be more and more prolific in my office – and even in my personal life.

Where you do choose to spend your limited amount of time and attention?

As Seth once reminded me, “there are two great resources we have in our life : time and money”

Attention takes time – where do you choose to spend your time?  In the final analysis (as my mentor Dr. Viktor Frankl was prone to writing) – do you spend your time MEANINGFULLY?

We are inundated with information daily – from the time we wake up, to the time we sleep; and perhapts beyond.  Where do you choose to spend this most valuable resource – TIME?

As you may note, there is no podcast today – I chose to spend my time differently recently.  However, the podcast will be coming back – SPORADICALLY.  And once we hit episode 199, the podcast will take a break.  It is time to reconsider and rebrand.

IT WILL BE BACK.  Ideally, as part of The Meaning Project COMMUNITY.

Until then, please enjoy what we continue to share through episode 199.  And in the meanwhile, please continue to subscribe to my weekly Monday Morning Mental Health & Meaning Updates – I will continue to share those as I work to build our community!

As always – thank you for this opportunity to share a little bit of Mental Health, Meaning, Purpose, Resilience – and maybe some psychedelic assisted therapy – in your day!

Take care!!

Dan

And, if you want to go a little bit deeper into this idea, first subscribe to Seth’s blog – link is above – and check out what AI has to say about the idea:

This statement highlights a crucial aspect of mental health: the power and vulnerability of our attention. In a world saturated with digital media and constant stimuli, countless entities compete to capture and direct our focus—often prioritizing profit over our well-being. When we are unaware of this manipulation, we risk chronic distraction, anxiety, and a loss of agency over our thoughts. Mental health thrives on intentionality; when we consciously choose where to place our attention, we cultivate clarity, resilience, and emotional stability. The question posed—whether others are more careful with our attention than we are—challenges us to reclaim control. Practicing mindfulness, setting boundaries, and prioritizing what truly matters are key steps toward protecting our mental space. Ultimately, attention is a limited resource, and where we invest it shapes the quality of our lives.