I stopped paying attention to fashion and grooming. I became smarter, happier, with more money to spend on what matters.
"Where you direct your attention affects what you deem to be important.
You can't control what you feel is important, but you can control where you direct your attention, and thereby hack yourself into changing your priorities."
I think about that often. Designing the world around us to pay attention to what we'd like our world to become.
We are quite sloppy about it now as a society. We allow things that don't serve us to occupy our minds, budgets and shape who we are.
For quite a while now, I’ve chosen not to pay attention to certain things.
Fashion. Latest gadgets. Perfect grammar.
I still care enough to be presentable, but the amount of time I save every day on self-grooming - you’ve no idea.
But it’s not just about saving time.
It’s about saving attention.
By not focusing on the perfect wardrobe, makeup, or someone’s bank account, I’ve accidentally rewired how I judge myself and others.
I now notice different things - how people think, how they treat others, how they grow, what value they contribute into the world.
And the more I value that, the easier it is to follow my inner guide instead of chasing external scorecards.
It’s also easier to connect and have conversations (my podcast wouldn't exist without it) with people who are miles ahead in their game - the ones who might not always be loud, but always leave a meaningful impact.
They make the world richer in different ways.
Shifting what you pay attention to isn’t easy, especially when society and social media are built to make you care about the opposite.
But once you realize you can control your focus, that you can design your world by deciding what gets your attention, it becomes a practice. A rep-based skill. And then, with enough repetition, it gets simpler and easier.
Where you spend your attention is who you’re becoming.
Is that version someone you actually like living as?
PS Watch this short video bite with Rory Sutherland. It'll change your day. Right about 6.47 min.
