What You Focus On Expands

 

Have you ever noticed that what you focus on expands? 

Tony Robbins says, “Where energy flows is where focus goes”.

We all do this in everyday life. Where you put your focus and attention will be what grows and expands. When you attach an emotion to it, you intensify the feeling of it.

For example, if I was excited to purchase a 2021 BMW 5 Series I might start seeing these on the road. But if I focus on what exact model and color, a 530i 4 door in Mineral White Metallic, I’d see these everywhere. It is like I could feel myself behind the wheel. 

Where before wanting this vehicle, I may not have ever seen these on the road at all. 

Why doesn’t this happen? 

Science actually has an answer for this, and it involves the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon.

According to Wikipendia, frequency illusion, also known as the Baader–Meinhof phenomenon, is a cognitive bias in which, after noticing something for the first time, there is a tendency to notice it more often, leading someone to believe that it has a high frequency. This is a form of selection bias. Your brain does this without you even knowing it is happening. 

Think of all you’re exposed to in a single day. It’s simply not possible to soak in every detail. Your brain has the job of deciding which things require focus and which can be filtered out. Your brain can easily ignore information that doesn’t seem vital in the moment, and it does so every day.

When you’re exposed to brand-new information, especially if you find it interesting, your brain takes notice. These details are potentially destined for the permanent file, so they’re going to be front and center for a while until the next thing that grabs your energy and focus.

This is why as leaders we must be clear on what we want and where we are going. It is so easy to be derailed in the process of reaching our goals. Stay focused and on track.

Best, 

Manal