Your attention isn't just something you use—it shapes the life you're creating.

Every day, countless people, platforms, and notifications compete for your attention. Every time you say "yes" to one thing, you're saying "no" to something else. The question isn't whether your attention is valuable. The question is whether you're investing it intentionally.

In this episode, George and Mary-Lynn discuss:

• Why attention may be even more valuable than time.
• The hidden cost of constant distraction.
• How your attention determines the direction of your life.
• Five practical ways to reclaim your attention.
• Why protecting your focus helps you create the life you truly want.

BIGG Takeaways:

• Every distraction has a cost, even when the interruptions seem small.
• Technology isn't just competing for your time, it's competing for your mind.
• Your attention shapes your life; the more focused you are, the more you'll achieve your dreams.
• To reclaim your focus, start your day intentionally by controlling your morning routine effectively.

BIGG Chapters

[00:14] The Neighborhood Bar Experience

[01:32] The Value of Attention

[03:25] The Importance of Attention in a Distracted World

[04:56] Reclaiming Your Attention: 5 Practical Steps

[08:32] Building Stronger Connections Through Attentive Conversations

Links referenced in this episode:

• BIGGSuccess.com
• BIGG Success Newsletter
• BIGG Success Life Map

On this episode of the The BIGG Success show, protect your attention before it's too late.

BIGG Success with The Professor and Mary-Lynn.

A while back, Mary-Lynn and I were hanging out with some friends at one of our favorite watering holes. It's a small neighborhood bar.

You know, it's one of those kind of places where everybody knows your name.

Yes. And you're George.

George.

Just like Cheers! And while we were there, a group of about eight people walked in. They were newbies. They'd never been there before. Nobody knew their name.

But the first thing that they did was pull out their phones. Each and every one of them.

Now, that's not a big surprise, is it?

Most of us have our phones in our hands all the time.

Exactly. Right. Now, the thing is, eventually they got around to ordering drinks.

Then it was right back to their phones scrolling and tapping and tapping and scrolling.

And here's the kicker. They were there together, but it didn't really appear that they were really together.

We'd learned that they were there to celebrate a birthday of one of the people in the group, but they were giving most of their attention to the rest of the world.

And the sad thing is, this isn't unusual. We see some version of this all the time. Which leads to a BIGG question.

That's BIGG with two Gs.

What is one of the most valuable things you own, but you give part or all of it away without even realizing it?

The answer? Your attention.

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! You scored well on that quiz, Mary-Lynn.

Thank you. Welcome to The BIGG Success show where we help you create the life you want. Hi, I'm Mary-Lynn.

And I'm George, The Professor.

You know, most people think their most valuable asset is time.

Today we're going to take on that assumption. We'd like to suggest something even more valuable. Your attention. Because wherever your attention goes, your life follows.

In this episode, we're going to explore: How your attention builds your future; The hidden cost of constant distraction; Why your attention determines your direction; Five practical ways to reclaim your attention every day;

And how directing your attention with intention helps you build the life you truly want. Let's start with how your attention builds your future.

You hear people say it all the time. Time is money. And it is.

It is.

When you think about it, it is. Well, if time is money, attention is life.

Ooh, that is a BIGG insight right there, George.

You can have plenty of time, but if your attention is scattered, very little gets accomplished.

Your attention determines what you notice, what you learn, who you spend time with, what opportunities you capitalize on and what kind of person you become.

That's because attention is now one of the biggest drivers of a prosperous life. Today's technology isn't simply competing for your time. It's competing for your mind.

Wow, that is BIGG when you really think about that, BIGG with two Gs.

It's massive. And we've witnessed this change, but it's still coming, and it's coming on strong. And it's getting stronger.

Yes, the attention deficit is getting stronger, too. I mean, every notification, every headline, every endless scroll...they all demand a response to one question. And that is:

Can I have your attention?

Can I have your attention, please?

That's the one I remember, right? May I have your attention, please? Yes. Yes. Like at the airport or whatever, you know. So attention is hugely important.

The problem is that every "Yes" to distraction often becomes a "No" to something that matters even more.

And here's the hidden cost of constant distraction. Now, most of us don't lose our attention all at once. We lose it a few seconds at a time. A small interruption here, another interruption there.

Heck, before you know it, interruptions are interrupting interruptions! It's insane.

And the greatest loss isn't productivity, it's presence. When your attention is everywhere, you're fully present nowhere.

Another BIGG insight. You're full of them today, Professor! And your attention determines your direction. So think of your direction like sunlight.

Wherever the sun shines, there's growth. So if you constantly focus on worry,

worry grows.

If you focus on comparison,

discontent grows.

If you focus on learning,

wisdom grows.

And if you focus on your relationships,

love grows.

Awwww.

Yes. That's why at BIGG Success, we encourage people to create a. A Life Map.

When you know where you're going, you stop giving equal attention to everything. Competing for your time.

Yeah. Instead of asking, "what should I do next?" You begin asking, "Does this deserve my attention?"

It's hard to believe that one question can have this much impact. But just that one question,. "Does this deserve my attention?" Can change your life for good.

It really can. So how do we do that? How do we make sure that we're focusing on the right things? Here are five practical ways to reclaim your attention every day.

You don't need to abandon technology. Just make sure you're being intentional in its use. So, number one, own your morning. Don't let your phone decide how your day begins.

Create your day. Before you react to incoming requests for your time by others. Ppend your first 15 to 30 minutes doing things that center you.

Praying, reading, journaling, exercising, or reviewing your Life Map before - you do all these things before you check notifications. Rule your day, and you'll see the results. Because how you start your morning sets the tone of your entire day.

We're sharing five practical ways to reclaim your attention every day. Number two, turn off most notifications if everything is urgent. Nothing is.

Here's the news. Most notifications aren't urgent, right?

Did you say that's urgent news?

Yeah, I should have. That have been a good one, Mary-Lynn. But what they are is they're invitations to stop doing what matters.

Oh, yes. We have found that once we turned off almost every notification, life got a lot quieter.

Yeah, because we miss very little. But we gained a whole lot of focus and peace.

The third practical way to reclaim your attention every day, design your environment so you don't have to rely on willpower. Here's a simple experiment, delete your social media apps.

I know this could sound intense here.

Very.

Delete your social media apps from your phone. Do it just for one week.

I'm exhibiting withdrawal symptoms.

Yes. Yes. He's shaking over there already. But I mean, if you really need them, you know, keep them. But what you can do is just go to your laptop instead.

That little bit of extra effort creates just enough friction to make mindless scrolling less automatic. And you may be surprised by the result. You'll probably feel more in control, more focused, and a little less pulled in every direction.

Five practical ways to reclaim your attention every day. Number four, protect time for deep work.

Most of us schedule meetings, but how often do we schedule uninterrupted time to think, create, or solve an important problem?

Try blocking out time with no email, no messages, no phone, no multitasking.

What? No multitasking!?!

That's right. Just one meaningful task.

Now, at first, you're probably gonna notice just how often you're tempted to check something, right? We're so used to that. But that awareness alone is a powerful first step.

And in a world that's constantly competing for your attention, your ability to focus may become one of your greatest strengths.

And the fifth practical way to reclaim your attention every day is give your attention to people. One of the greatest gifts you can give another person isn't money. It's your full attention.

And this is kind of one of the greatest ironies of our time. We're more connected than ever. Yet many people have said they've never felt more alone.

Maybe it's because we've confused being connected with truly being present.

Oh, my gosh, there's The Professor with another BIGG insight! That's just so true.

Yeah. So what you can do is try putting away your phone during dinner. Look people in the eye. Look people in the eye.

I'm looking at you right now. I'm looking at you, kid.

No, I'm looking at you. Listen without planning what you're going to say next.

Oh, I think that's hard. A lot of times you're thinking about, how am I going to respond to this? But don't, just turn that internal voice off.

Yeah, and that's always been a problem, hasn't it? I mean, from the beginning of communication, I think this has been a problem. While we're addressing all these other things, let's address that, too.

Yes, And I think that just makes for a stronger connection.

Exactly, Mary-Lynn. Because the strongest relationships are built one attentive conversation at a time.

So how can we make sure that we're not drifting through life, but living on purpose? Because a meaningful life doesn't happen by accident. It happens one choice at a time.

So to make sure that you're making the right choices each day, ask yourself one important question. What deserves my attention today?

That's one of the reasons that we created the Life Map. We wanted a way to step back from the noise and reconnect with what matters most before the world starts pulling us in a dozen different directions.

When you stop reacting to everything that feels urgent and you start choosing what truly matters, something begins to change. One thoughtful choice leads to another. Over time, those choices shape the life you really want to live.

That brings us to this episode's BIGG Assignment from The Professor.

For the next seven days, become what we call an Attention Investor. Every morning, before the demands of the day take over, write down the three things that are most deserving of your attention today.

Then invest your attention there first.

And create an environment that helps you succeed. As we've talked about silence unnecessary notifications, put your phone in another room when you're working, take a walk without your devices.

Spend a few quiet minutes reviewing your Life Map before you open your inbox.

And then at the end of the day, ask yourself, did I invest my attention in what mattered most?

Don't worry about getting it perfect. Just notice what changes when you become more intentional about where your attention goes.

Because attention is like compound interest, small, consistent investments today create remarkable returns over time.

And that brings us to this episode's BIGG Takeaway.

You don't become successful because you have more time than everyone else. You become successful because you choose where your attention goes.

Invest it in the people you love. The work that matters and the life you want to create.

Because your attention isn't just your greatest asset, it's where your life happens and and that's how you achieve BIGG success.

If today's episode encouraged you, we'd love to continue the conversation. Join our free BIGG Success newsletter at BIGGsuccess.com/join where we share practical ideas to help you create the life you want.

You can also connect with us on your favorite social media platform, @BIGGsuccess, for more encouragement and success strategies.

Have you ever noticed that a goal that once energized you suddenly starts to feel like a burden? Well, don't assume that you've lost your motivation. There may be something else going on. Join us next time as we explore what it could mean and what to do next. Be sure to follow the BIGG Success podcast so you never miss an episode.

And we thank you for listening today. Until next time...

Here's to your BIGG success!

Find BIGG Success at BIGGsuccess.com