PAY ATTENTION OR PAY THE PRICE.

Monday Mutiny | 2.26.2024

Years ago, I used to post on social media every day—oftentimes, multiple times a day. It was a vital part of my morning routine: shit, shower, say something smart.

In the beginning, social media was just as entertaining as it was validating. It was fun, creative, and occasionally challenging. I enjoyed the new outlet for writing and observation. But, eventually, social media became a serious distraction. Instagram and Twitter were no longer outlets to use in addition to what I was creating in the real world—they became the very reason for creating—and, subsequently, the writing that I was doing online became justification for putting off the other projects and tasks that I had in my mind.

Sound familiar?

As Instagram and Twitter sucked up more and more of my time, as I gained more and more attention for my writing online, I found myself thinking more and more about all of the books that I was going to write, all of the goals that I was going to accomplish, and all of the things that I was going to create—while simultaneously spending less and less time actually working on them.

Again, does this sound familiar?

Looking back, the amount of time that I’ve spent on social media over the past ten years has never been proportionate to what I’ve received in return from it: fulfillment, inspiration, income, etc. And now, when I reflect on what I’ve accomplished with my life over that same time period, I regret giving so much of my attention to social media. Because all of that attention could have been used to create something much more significant. Something more meaningful, more powerful, and ultimately, more satisfying. All of the books that remain unwritten, all of the goals that remain unattained, and all of the ideas that remain unimagined—it’s all my fault that they remain that way because of where I’ve chosen to give, and spend, my attention.

Wherever your attention goes, so does your future self.

In 2019, the company LEGO® conducted a study to answer the age-old question:

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

And the number-one career aspiration among eight- to twelve-year-olds living in the United States and the United Kingdom: YouTuber.

Now, why is that?

Well, I’m willing to bet it’s because YouTube is where those kids are placing most of their attention. And, chances are, they are not focusing their attention on becoming a YouTuber themselves so much as they are simply giving their attention to YouTubers.

Granted, they’re kids and it’s hard to explain the difference to them—but we’re all adults here—and it should be easy for us to know whether our attention is being focused or wasted.

If time is money, then attention is the currency with which you pay.

And, believe me, someone is always getting paid.

The truth is: your attention is going to make somebody else rich. In fact, it already is. Who is benefiting from you watching reels, thumbing through TikToks, or scrolling aimlessly to find yet another distraction for the day?

There’s a reason why every tech company is trying to develop the next app, game, tool, or device to take your attention away from you. The future is not going to be built by those with the most money, it’s going to be built by those who command—and control—the most attention.

Your attention can either set you apart—or be the very reason why you never even start.

In this day and age, the ability to harness your own attention is a superpower. You can get ahead, free yourself from the herd, and live a life that others can only dream of by simply focusing your attention on your own life and your own creations.

Your life, today, is a reflection of where you placed your attention yesterday.

Your life, as it currently stands, is a direct result of past action and focused or unfocused attention. (Sure, shit happens, and there is often much in life that is out of our control, but you know what I mean.)

Moving forward, if you spend the majority of your days scrolling, you will continue doing so until the day comes that you finally realize (with regret) that you missed out on a lot of living. But, if you choose to spend the majority of your days creating, working, or building something in the real world—I promise you—you will eventually create or build something that not only attracts the attention of others, but naturally draws your own attention in because you are provided with real fulfillment (not the cursory hits of dopamine that come from riding social media’s carousel).

Likewise, if you continue giving all of your attention to the bad shit that is happening, you will continue to only see and experience bad shit. But, if you choose to focus your attention on improving the bad around you, you will inevitably create/find a lot of good.

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Now, I’m not a fool, I’m not a cynic, and I’m certainly not ungrateful for the attention that I’ve received from you and others. For someone in my position, social media has been a double-edged sword, a necessary evil, and at times, a genuine benefit. I’m also very aware that what I’ve written today—and everything else that I’ve written over the years (both on and off of social media)—has asked of your attention. And, I thank you for giving it to me. In fact, the primary reason why I have never once posted a sponsored ad, taken money from an advertiser in exchange for a feature, or promoted anything that I didn’t personally create is because I appreciate your support, and I value your attention.

As for this piece, I hope you come to realize that your attention is your most valuable asset in life. And I hope you choose to spend it wisely.

From personal experience, the wisest way to spend it is in the real world, an area where ideas can have a lasting impact rather than the transience of an ever-shortening attention span. Build something for yourself. Focus on those around you whom you love and appreciate. Free yourself from repetitive patterns and redundant behaviors. Put your own goals on the forefront of your mind and allow yourself to be the recipient of the majority of your time. Use your attention as a tool for personal growth as opposed to allowing it to become somebody else’s means of control.

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Again, thank you for giving me your time and attention.

Thank you for reading and subscribing,

-Kyle, aka “The Capt.”