More than anything, grit is about being intentional, which requires paying attention to all aspects of life. Attention is a cognitive process that involves selecting and focusing on a limited amount of information to the exclusion of all other information. Attention allows us to listen to a friend, read this article, complete a challenging task at work, and drive a car. To illustrate the importance of attention, consider the consequences from engaging in tasks without being attentive. The consequences can be benign, such as not comprehending the text that you just read, or life changing, such as suffering severe injuries or death from a car accident. Even though the importance of attention seems self-evident, most people take this cognitive process for granted, and do not work to improve their attentional skills.
Developing grit is about attending to the details in our life so that living is intentional. We must actively and attentively create a meaningful and engaged existence. Goal achievement requires enthusiastically moving towards progress and strong attention to improvement. Thus, it is critically important to attentively participate in every single task and interaction in which we engage.
Alarmingly, research suggests that the human attention span has decreased substantially over the past 15 years. Researchers believe that the shortening of the attention span is due to lifestyle changes, such as the increase in electronic devices, social media communication, and screen time.[1],[2]
Types of Attention and Their Impact
It is important to note that there are different types of attentional resources. Attention span is also referred to as transient attention is a short-term reaction to a temporary stimulus (for example, temporarily listening to a conversation). In contrast, sustained attention refers to a longer focus for minutes or hours (for example, listening to a motivational speaker). Therefore, even though attention span (i.e., transient attention) is about 8 seconds, sustained attention is about 10 minutes for the average adult. However, many individuals with strong attention skills can stay focused for significantly longer periods of time.
Based on the statistics of declining attention span, it has never been more important to build this skill. The necessity of developing attentional skills is apparent when considering how attention is directly related to brain health. The ability to pay attention is literally linked to the brain’s architecture. Neurons, which are brain and nerve cells, fire in patterns based on the thoughts and actions in which we engage. In the book titled, Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and Wisdom, Rick Hanson said, “attention shapes the brain”.[3] That is, the way we focus our attention has a direct impact on brain health or dysfunction.
The Impact of Attention on Cognitive Development
Reading is a potent example of how attention impacts other cognitive processes. In this example, we will consider the development of reading skills in childhood. If a child lacks the attention to read for sustained periods of time (e.g., 10 minutes or more), then she engages in fewer hours of reading practice, and her reading ability suffers. Low reading ability has been tied to poor vocabulary, high dropout rates, and even higher criminal behavior.[4],[5] In other words, a cascade of cognitive deficits can stem from, not lack of reading skills per se, but lack of attentional processes.
The Benefits of Mindfulness on Attention
One of the most promising areas of research demonstrating improved attention is practicing mindfulness. One researcher has defined mindfulness as “a practice of learning to focus attention and awareness on moment-to-moment experience with an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance” (p.234).[6] Since mindfulness is the practice of focusing attention to the present, being mindful is completely contradictory to focusing on the past or the future.
Based on the definition of mindfulness, researchers have tested whether engaging in mindfulness practices leads to improved attention. Dr. Fadel Zeidan, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and his colleagues examined the impact of a short-term meditation program on mood and cognitive functioning.[7] In their study, college students were randomly assigned to either a mindfulness meditation group, or a control group (where they listened to a book on tape). Each session lasted about 20 minutes with a total of 4 training sessions during the duration of the study. Cognitive measures were given before and after the onset of the study, and mood was measured before and after each session. Results indicated that the mindfulness meditation group improved in sustained attention as well as other cognitive skills (working memory, visuospatial processing, and verbal fluency) compared to the control group. In addition, both groups demonstrated improvements in mood.
Actionable Strategies
Below, I have outlined how to begin engaging in mindfulness meditation across the next 6 days to begin your journey toward improved attention. Begin by engaging in 5 minutes of mindfulness meditation, and then slowly build up until you reach 20 minutes.
Day 1: Beginning mindfulness training
Set your timer for 5 minutes. Close your eyes, and simply focus on the flow of your breath. Focus on breathing occurring from the tip of your nose. Stay continuously focused on only your breath. If a thought enters your mind, passively notice the break, but then bring your attention back to your breathing.
Day 2: Beginning mindfulness training
Set your timer for 7 minutes. Repeat the process outlined on Day 1.
Day 3: Developing mindfulness skills
Set your timer for 7 minutes. Close your eyes and focus on full abdominal breathing. Feel the sensation of your breath from the nostrils to the abdomen and your back. Notice sensations that arise in your body, acknowledge those feelings, and then return your attention back to your breathing. Continue with this process, always bringing your attention back to the sensation of deep abdominal breathing.
Day 4: Developing mindfulness skills
Set your timer for 10 minutes. Repeat the process outlined on Day 3.
Day 5: Developing mindfulness skills
Set your timer for 15 minutes. Repeat the process outlined on Day 3.
Day 6: Developing mindfulness skills
Set your timer for 20 minutes. Repeat the process outlined on Day 3.
Here at 365 GRIT, we are not interested in average. We are interested in exceptional living across all dimensions in life. Attentiveness is essential for efficiency and accuracy in everything we do.
[1] Goleman, D. (2013). Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence. A&C Black.
[2] Carr, N. (2001). The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to our Brains. NY: W. W. Norton & Co.
[3] Hanson, R. (2009). Buddha's brain: The practical neuroscience of happiness, love, and wisdom. New Harbinger
Publications.
[4] Bennett K., Brown S., Boyle M., Racine Y., & Offord D. (2003). Does low reading achievement at school entry
cause conduct problems? Social Science & Medicine, 56, 2443–2448.
[5] Lonigan, C., Bloomfield, B., Anthony, J., Bacon, K., Phillips, B., & Samuel, C. (1999). Relations among emergent literacy skills, behavior problems, and social competence in preschool children from low- and middle-income backgrounds. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 19, 40-53.
[6] Marchand, W. R. (2012). Mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and Zen meditation for depression, anxiety, pain, and psychological distress. Journal Psychiatric Practice, 18(4), 232-252. doi:10.1097/01.pra.0000416014.53215.86.
[7] Zeidan, F., Johnson, S. K., Diamond, B. J., David, Z., & Goolkasian, P. (2010). Mindfulness improves cognition: Evidence of brief mental training. Consciousness and Cognition, 19, 597-605.
