Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence

For more than two decades, the author, a psychologist and journalist has been scouting the leading edge of the human sciences for what's new, surprising, and important. In this book, he delves into the science of attention in all its varieties, presenting a long-overdue discussion of this little-noticed and underrated mental asset that matters enormously for how we navigate life. Attention works much like a muscle: use it poorly and it can wither; work it well and it grows. In an era of unstoppable distractions, the author persuasively argues that now more than ever we must learn to sharpen focus if we are to contend with, let alone thrive in, a complex world. He analyzes attention research as a threesome: inner, other, and outer focus. A well-lived life demands that we be nimble at each. He shows why high-performers need all three kinds of focus, as demonstrated by rich case studies from fields as diverse as competitive sports, education, the arts, and business. Those who excel rely on what the author calls smart practice, such as mindfulness meditation, focused preparation and recovery from setbacks, continued attention to the learning curve, and positive emotions and connections, that help them improve habits, add new skills, and sustain excellence. This book calls upon readers not only to pay attention to what matters most to them personally, but also to turn their attention to the pressing problems of the wider world, to the powerless and the poor, and to the future, not just to the seductively simple demands of the here and now.