The Next Big Idea Daily

Your Attention Is Being Hijacked. Here’s How to Take It Back.

22 snips
Oct 21, 2025
Zelana Montminy, a behavioral scientist and author of 'Finding Focus,' shares insights on reclaiming our attention in a distracted world. She explains that real focus isn't about willpower, but rather creating the right conditions, likening it to shaking a snow globe. Zelana highlights how we often use our phones to escape discomfort and emphasizes the importance of embracing those feelings. She introduces practices to help reconnect with clarity and discusses how slowing down can surface unresolved grief, ultimately leading to a gentler rhythm of attention.
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INSIGHT

Create Conditions, Don't Force Focus

  • Zelana Montminy says focus is created by conditions, not force.
  • Clear mental, physical, and emotional clutter so attention can settle like snowflakes in a globe.
INSIGHT

Distraction Is Emotional Escape

  • We're not addicted to phones but to avoiding discomfort, Zelana argues.
  • Reclaim attention by strengthening your capacity to stay with boredom and urges instead of escaping them.
ANECDOTE

People Prefer Shocks Over Stillness

  • Zelana cites a study where people preferred electric shocks to sitting alone with their thoughts.
  • That example illustrates how intolerable stillness has become for many people.
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