The Battle for Your Attention

And, the Attention Exchange.

In my consulting work, Q3 and Q4 often revolve around strategic planning—workshops and offsites to define priorities for the road ahead. If I had to summarize where most teams are landing (and needing), it would come down to two things: priorities and attention.

In a noisy, cluttered world, I propose this transformative idea:

Pay Attention to What You Pay Attention To.

Simple. Profound. Game-changing.

Your Attention Is Your Life

As Oliver Burkeman wrote in Four Thousand Weeks:
“At the end of your life, looking back, whatever compelled your attention from moment to moment is simply what your life will have been. So when you pay attention to something you don’t especially value, it’s not an exaggeration to say that you’re paying with your life.”

Think about that. Every scroll, meeting, or email costs you a piece of your life. Attention is our most precious currency in today’s economy, and the marketplace is crowded with takers. Algorithms, marketers, and digital noise are constantly vying for it. But here’s the truth: you get to decide how you spend it—and how you earn it from others.

The Expanding Power of Focus

Brandon Stanton, creator of Humans of New York, put it perfectly:

“What you pay attention to—expands.”

This isn’t just about personal growth (although I recommend that, too). It’s about your legacy, your impact, and how you show up for your team, customers, and community. What you focus on thrives; what you neglect fades.

If you’re in the business of earning attention—whether as a leader, marketer, or creator—you have a higher responsibility:

Create something worthy of attention.
Not loud. Not manipulative. Worthy.

Attention: An Exchange, Not a Transaction

Attention isn’t given—it’s earned. When others give you their focus, they’re offering their most valuable resource. You owe them value in return.

Yet many leaders and brands bombard people with noise, draining trust and missing opportunities. Instead, imagine:

• A meeting that inspires, not drains.
• A story that aligns and motivates your team.
• A campaign that feels like a gift, not a gimmick.
• A leadership presence that’s magnetic, not manipulative.

These moments don’t happen by accident. They’re created by leaders who treat attention as sacred.

What Leaders Tell Me They Want Most Today

Own Radical Responsibility for Attention

• Ruthlessly prioritize what matters and eliminate the rest.
• Insight: Ask, “Is this worth paying for with my precious time and life?” If not, refocus.

Focus on Stewardship of Others’ Attention

• Earn attention by offering value, not demanding it.
• Insight: Before your next message, ask, “Is this worthy of their time?”

Hone the Power of Focused Creation

• Focus amplifies impact. Diffusion weakens it.
• Insight: Audit where you’re spread too thin and redirect energy to what truly matters.

Build Trust and Connection Over Noise

• People crave trust and authenticity. Be human, not just a brand.
• Insight: Ditch the algorithms. Surprise with creativity, relevance, and generosity.

Generosity Wins

• Those who offer the most thoughtful, meaningful value win hearts and attention.
• Insight: Overdeliver on thoughtfulness and humanity.

A Call to Attention

• As we prepare for what’s next, shift from grabbing attention to earning it.
• Take radical responsibility for what you give your attention to.
• Create something extraordinary and attention-worthy.
• Surprise with generosity.
• Build trust by being real and unignorable.

Most won’t do the work because it’s difficult. That’s your opportunity.

Because when you focus on earning attention, you don’t just stand out—you matter.

And isn’t that what we’re here to do?