☕️ the main thing
"If you want to change your life, change what you pay attention to."
— Austin Kleon
In computer science, they say, 'garbage in, garbage out', aka GIGO.
You can't expect good results out of rubbish input.
Want to bake the perfect birthday cake? Gotta get the best ingredients you can find. Need to nail that presentation at work? You can't start with faulty logic or iffy data.
Funnily enough, this is the same way of thinking we need to apply across all areas of our lives.
What we pay attention to is the input. We avoid GIGO by practicing intentional attention.
“Thinking drives behaviors. Behaviors drive action. Action drives results. No tool can fix poor thinking.” — Jamie Flinchbaugh
Do we throw a party when things go our way or do we obsess over what didn't work out?
Do we only notice that luck is MIA and hardly give her credit when she actually shows up?
Would we rather see the goodness in things or get caught up nitpicking the flaws?
Do we prefer to look back on joyful moments? Or do we secretly love pity parties, replaying frustrating and disappointing episodes on repeat?
When it comes to making things better, are we focused on taking action? Or we’d rather not think about it, and hope for the best?
It’s easy to dismiss all this and say, “Oh, this is about positive thinking, right?”
Sure, we could say that. But that would be reductive, and we’re likely to miss the bigger picture. This is more than simply being an optimist and calling it a day.
It’s about intentionally directing our attention. It's being picky about what we let into our heads.
If the thing that’s holding our attention isn’t making life easier — isn’t helping us be who we want to be — then it’s time to get it out of there.
“We give things meaning by paying attention to them,” author Jessa Crispin writes, “and so moving your attention from one to another can absolutely change your future.”
🔗 building on this
“If you choose to pay attention to the drama of reality TV shows and gossip magazines, you’re going to create more drama in your life. Alternatively, if you put more attention into healthy habits you’re going to experience better health.” Be Intentional With Your Attention
Video: Where Your Attention Goes, Energy Flows | John Assaraf | YouTube. Here’s a quick coaching session to help us recalibrate our attention. As John says, “More of the same equals…more of the same.” 😉
🔔 cue for you
Learn to catch your attention. For one weekend — or for a day, if a weekend feels too long to start — capture where your attention goes. Walk around with a piece of paper (or a digital notepad, which is what I use*) and simply write down what’s holding your attention. Do it throughout the day. No need to journal about it. No need to analyze whether the thought is good or bad. Simply jot down where your mind goes. You will very quickly see a pattern.
SPONSOR
Today’s issue is sponsored by Midlife Uprising. Founded and hosted by age agitator Yvonne Marchese, this community brings together women of all ages to reimagine what’s possible as they grow older and support each other as they rock their next chapters. Find out more and join the Midlife Uprising Community and continue to make waves as you age.
👤 a midlifer in profile
Meet Gen X’er Luke Mathers
Luke used to be an optometrist. He retired for the first time when he was 31 and has reinvented himself several times since.
He is the author of three books: Stress Teflon, RESET - Choose your story, and Curious Habits. And when he’s not surfing, golfing, cycling, or hiking, he works with businesses to make them better at stress.
Read the rest of Luke’s profile.
💬 last word
*For the past three years, I've been doing this practice of actively noticing where my attention is at and writing down what's going on in my head.
I use an app called Day One where I keep a daily list I call “10 Things”. Basically, it's a rundown of 10 (often more) things that grab my attention during the day. I don’t wait until the end of the day to write it down. I record it live, as it’s happening.
Let me tell you, it's been a game-changer. This practice has given me a unique perspective on what's really happening in my mind — what catches my attention, the conclusions I jump to, the stories I tell myself.
And I owe this practice a lot for improving my overall outlook on life and keeping my mental health in check.
I encourage you to give it a shot. Let me know how it goes for you.
Here’s to a joyful and easeful week ahead.
Cool Beans,
Lou Blaser