Love Letter #8 – Curate

Dear Self,

Today, I was thinking about what makes artists, writers, and a host of other people at the top of their game gain success.  In a world full of distractions, how do they stay focused?  After pondering this question, I think I know their secret:  they curate their attention.

What does this mean?

When someone is passionate about a skill, they live and breathe it.  They study those who have mastered the skill they wish to achieve.   They acquire the best tools, analyze the work and words of the best minds, and they watch how the best performs the thing they so desperately want to do.  They put in hours of disciplined practice.  They learn from their mistakes and over time they become better.   They do not let anything take away their focus.  They do not spend time doing things that take their eyes off the prize.  They curate their attention.

So, how can I curate my attention?

Since I have many interests, I spend a lot of time watching videos and listening to podcasts on a variety of topics.  In addition, I have both home and business projects, as well as meetings and other commitments.  Sometimes, it seems like nothing gets accomplished, or at least, not as much as I would like. That’s when I realized that curating attention means making intentional choices. Pare down the amount of time and the type of media I consume would mean less time scrolling and more time focused.   Work on one or two projects instead of juggling many.  Only participate in meetings that directly support my goals.  Everything else gets delegated or eliminated. 

After this realization, I did the following:

• I unsubscribed and unfollowed channels and pages on social media platforms that did not serve my growth.
• I selected a couple of key projects to complete this week.
• I declined a few meetings that did not align with my current priorities.

Now, I feel more focused.  I have specific things I want to accomplish.  I have freed up time to practice, research and analyze.  I feel I can reach success.

Thank you, Self, for curating my attention and keeping me laser focused.

–Self