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ebster’s dictionary defines attention as “a mental concentration

or readiness,” but this definition does little to evoke the power of

this force as it relates to its economic, political, social and

personal power. We talk about paying attention. Someone

popular is the center of attention. As intangible as it may seem, our attention

is the currency of countless transactions we engage in every day.

Why is our attention so powerful? Because what we choose to put our

attention on is where we direct our energy in all its forms — including our

time, creativity and, of course, our money. More simply put, where attention

goes, energy flows.

Let's take a metaphor from the natural world. The sun provides energy in the

form of warmth, and plants and animals have sophisticated systems to capture

and convert that energy. Comparatively speaking, sunlight doesn't have much

power because it’s spread out in so many directions. But when it’s focused and

concentrated through a magnifying glass, it suddenly becomes far more

powerful and can even start a fire. And when the power of light is condensed

to a much greater degree, it becomes a laser that can cut through steel.

In the same way, o,ur mind, with its power of attention, acts as a focusing

agent for our energy; a magnifying glass through which that energy can be

amplified in its impact. If we learn to train our attention, it too can become

like a laser, a powerful tool for cutting through many of the illusions and

misconceptions that trap so many of us in our day to day lives.

Let's look at how the major players in the corporate world relate to our

attention. Companies spend billions of dollars on marketing and advertising,

the goal of which is to catch our attention. It is in many cases their biggest

expense. Our TV screens often carry one, two or three additional messages in

the space around the picture we're watching; and as we surf the Internet

nowadays, there are countless attention-grabbers on almost every page.

Companies also spend thousands of dollars researching where people go while

they are online, with some software programs even tracking which sites we

visit, where we click, and even how long we stay on a page. These days, our

kids need even more stimulus and can watch TV, send instant messages and

play a video game all while listening to their iPod.

All this seems like it would be exhausting, but have you ever noticed that it's

a lot easier to watch television or surf the Web than it is to do something like

meditate? That's because our attention is so accustomed to being distracted

and drawn outward that for most of us, the idea of spending time in silence

and doing nothing but focusing our attention seems almost impossible.

The good news is that we can regain control over our attention, and not just

so that we will feel better at the end of the day. We can begin to harness the

power of our attention in such a way that will create much more energy at

work and also leave us with more to give when we get home. The first step is

simply to become aware of how our attention moves and what directs it. In

essence, this is one of the main purposes of meditation.

The subject of meditation is very vast, too vast, in fact, to encapsulate here in

this article, but nowadays there are numerous books, audiotapes, classes and

discussion forums on the subject that can easily be found on the Internet or

in your local newspaper, bookstore or library. I would encourage anyone who

is interested to take the time to find a forum and a technique that seems best

suited for them.

As the world continues to move faster and faster, it’s becoming increasingly

imperative that we all find some kind of daily practice rooted in silence. From

a scientific measure, we’re just recharging our energy. Otherwise we go out in

the world and have nothing to share.

I hope I've convinced you by now that attention is a commodity — a source

of value that you’re being solicited for constantly, a currency that you’re

already conducting business with every day, whether or not you’re conscious

of or in control of it. This seems like a simple concept, but it's amazing how

problems can be created if we're not aware of what is actually going on in

our minds and how we’re directing our energy. Perhaps this, more than

anything else, is the real energy crisis at hand.

Adapted from Beyond Success: Redefining the Meaning of Prosperity — © 2009

Jeffrey L. Gitterman — All rights reserved. Jeffrey Gitterman is an award

winning financial advisor and the founder and CEO of Gitterman & Associates

Wealth Management, LLC. In these challenging economic times, Jeff recently

co-founded Beyond Success, a consulting firm that brings more holistic values

to the world of business and finance. His first book, Beyond Success:

Redefining the Meaning of Prosperity, was recently published by the American

Management Association (AMACOM). Jeff also serves as chairman of the

advisory board to the Autism Center of New Jersey Medical School, an

organization that raises significant monies each year for autism research

and support services. For more information, visit www.gawmllc.com,

www.beyondsuccessconsulting.com or call (732) 742-3372.

LIFESTYLE

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THE CURRENCYOF ATTENTION By Jeffrey Gitterman

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