The Attention Effect

Dr. Gary Epler – The new way of life is knowing who you are moment by moment, which means know where you’re thinking from. For attention, learn to stop thinking from the head stress center and think from the mind for success.

Joan – What do you mean by attention?

This means 100% concentrating on the task with no other thoughts.

How does this help?

This is how to be the best in what you do.

Could you give an example?

I’ll give you two sports examples. The typical baseball pitcher continually shakes off the catcher’s sign, thinks about the batter’s stats, and thinks about being in the big game. These pitches often think about the opposing team, the ballpark, and even the standings. All these thoughts are from the head self-thinking stress center. The best pitcher in baseball gets the sign from the catcher and throws the pitch. No other thoughts, doesn’t know who the batter is, doesn’t even know the team, and that the team is playing in the final World’s Series game. The best pitcher is only throwing the pitch with no other thoughts. This is concentration. This is attention. And, this means thinking from the mind.

What do you mean thinking from the mind?

The new way of life is knowing where you’re thinking from moment by moment. There are four locations to think from that include the head, the heart, the gut, and the mind which is outside the body. Thinking about problems and the competition from the head causes stress, and you can only think from one location at a time. If you’re thinking about the competition, then you can’t think from the mind with attention and concentration. If you’re thinking about yourself, you’re thinking from the stress center, then you’re not concentrating. If you’re giving total attention, you’re thinking from the mind with success.

What’s the second example?

The best quarterback in football wins important games like the playoffs and the Super Bowl. Other quarterbacks may be quicker or bigger and win games, but not when it counts. What’s the difference? The winning quarterback focuses on the play as the ball is hiked. There are no thoughts about the opposition players, the last game, the last play, the stadium, the importance of the game, or how many seconds are left. The quarterback gets the ball and carries out the play. The amygdala and cingulate brain regions take over through instincts for instant adjustments as the play unfolds.

How do you pay attention?

The clue is from these athletes. They don’t think from the head. They get out of their head. They think from the mind. Attention is from the mind.

What do you mean?

They have no thoughts about themselves, about losing the game, or making a mistake. These are self-centered thoughts, thinking about themselves from the head stress center. They only think about throwing the pitch or the football from the mind, not from the head. Laser attention comes from the mind, which is outside the body, and in a slower alpha-brainwave state, in the zone.

How does attention apply at home?

Give total attention to fixing a leaky faucet, washing dishes, or carrying out the trash without complaining, being angry, or criticizing. This turns these tasks into something positive. It’s not doing the job of washing the dishes, it’s giving your time and contributing to the family from the heart with no stress. Complaining and criticizing is thinking about yourself from the stress center. Think about helping the family from the heart with kindness and giving.

How does attention this apply at work?

At work, this means staying in your lane.

What do you mean, “staying in your lane?”

Do your job, no one else’s. The CEO pays attention to creating a successful company not with thoughts of day-to-day management. The CTO pays attention to tech with no thoughts about operations. Employees focus on their specific task with no complaints and criticism of others.

Can you give an example?

The job of a startup board member is to help build an organization, not to be concerned with making money. The board member who only thinks about making money is toxic and will destroy the company. This board member analyzing every expense and blocks the CEO from hiring key pivotal people or spending money for capital raise because this means losing the board member’s money. This egocentric board member is thinking from the self-thinking stress center and not from the heart with giving and help, and not from the mind with innovation and solving problems.

Thinking from the mind and not the head stress center can make the difference between failure and success. How does paying attention help the community?

Focusing on the task with no self-thinking thoughts about criticism, seeking power, or judgment results in completion of the task and a positive, enjoyable experience working with others.

Joan – Use your mind for attention. Do you have any closing comments?

Dr. Gary Epler – I have a call to action. Give total attention to tasks at home and at work with no self-centered thoughts from the head stress center. Turn them into something positive. Reframe tasks and jobs, it’s giving and contributing to the family or the company. Think from the heart with kindness and giving, and think from the mind with creativity, solving problems, and courage.