CHAPTER 1
 
— THE ATTENTION CRISIS
Why your mind feels overloaded—before you ever start your day.
We are living in an age where the human mind is under more pressure, stimulation, and intrusion than at any point in history. Before your feet even touch the floor in the morning, your attention has already been summoned by alerts, notifications, responsibilities, memories, emotions, unfinished conversations, and silent internal battles.
You have not even begun your day, yet your mind has already begun working—sorting, filtering, anticipating, preparing, guarding, suppressing, remembering, and negotiating. No wonder people feel tired before they even begin.
This is not simply a busy culture.
We are living in an attention-extraction culture.
Everyone wants your attention.
Everyone is competing for your focus.
Everyone is trying to influence your thoughts.
And while the world is loudly demanding your attention, something deeper and more private is happening inside you: your mind is fighting for its own survival.
Your brain is not overwhelmed because you lack discipline.
Your mind is not scattered because you are weak.
Your thoughts are not chaotic because you are unstable.
Your attention is under attack because your attention is power.