Comments on: (un)fit to be distracted… or the end of the world http://strangelibrarian.org/2009/06/unfit-to-be-distracted-or-the-end-of-the-world/ playing in the waves since 1982 Sat, 20 Feb 2010 06:03:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Steve Levinson http://strangelibrarian.org/2009/06/unfit-to-be-distracted-or-the-end-of-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-1997 Steve Levinson Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:58:34 +0000 http://strangelibrarian.org/?p=343#comment-1997 A clinical psychologist, I set out years ago to figure out why people so often fail to stay focused on whatever they decide matters most. I eventually concluded that the real culprit is the leftover primitive "brain wiring" that helped us stay alive when we lived in caves and continuously faced danger. Under those circumstances, giving our attention to the highest bidder - the squeakiest wheel at the moment - was truly a matter of survival. Fortunately, our living conditions have changed for the better. Being so easily distracted is no longer a good thing. In fact, we've learned that humans can accomplish truly amazing things simply by keeping their attention sharply focused on their goals and priorities. Yet because the brain is partially stuck in the past, we're unable to benefit fully from the awesome power of focused attention. I decided to try to develop a way for people to stay focused on whatever they decide matters the most to them. I eventually invented a pager-like device known as the MotivAider (http://habitchange.com) that uses a private signal to automatically enable its user to stay focused on virtually any chosen objective. It's been amazing to see what people have been able to accomplish by using a simple tool that does nothing more than keep the mind focused. A clinical psychologist, I set out years ago to figure out why people so often fail to stay focused on whatever they decide matters most. I eventually concluded that the real culprit is the leftover primitive “brain wiring” that helped us stay alive when we lived in caves and continuously faced danger. Under those circumstances, giving our attention to the highest bidder – the squeakiest wheel at the moment – was truly a matter of survival. Fortunately, our living conditions have changed for the better. Being so easily distracted is no longer a good thing. In fact, we’ve learned that humans can accomplish truly amazing things simply by keeping their attention sharply focused on their goals and priorities. Yet because the brain is partially stuck in the past, we’re unable to benefit fully from the awesome power of focused attention.

I decided to try to develop a way for people to stay focused on whatever they decide matters the most to them. I eventually invented a pager-like device known as the MotivAider (http://habitchange.com) that uses a private signal to automatically enable its user to stay focused on virtually any chosen objective. It’s been amazing to see what people have been able to accomplish by using a simple tool that does nothing more than keep the mind focused.

]]> By: Travis Mamone http://strangelibrarian.org/2009/06/unfit-to-be-distracted-or-the-end-of-the-world/comment-page-1/#comment-1996 Travis Mamone Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:27:35 +0000 http://strangelibrarian.org/?p=343#comment-1996 Great post! I, too, can be very easily distrac . . . hey, look, a bird! Oh, uh, sorry, what were we talking about? Great post! I, too, can be very easily distrac . . . hey, look, a bird! Oh, uh, sorry, what were we talking about?

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