Master Your Focus: Build an Attention Diet That Transforms Your Life
This is how to fix your attention diet this year
It’s the start of the year, and like clockwork, everyone is talking about their diet. However, this tends to be the same conversation—cutting carbs, avoiding sugar, trying this or that new meal plan. While it’s important to fuel our bodies well, I want to suggest a different kind of diet for 2025.
Your attention diet.
What you pay attention to shapes your thoughts, your feelings, your actions—and ultimately, your life. In today’s world, where everything is fighting for your attention, learning to focus on the right things is not just wise; it’s essential. Let’s talk about three areas where you can start casting better “votes” with your attention this year.
1. Your Digital Diet: What Are You Consuming?
Imagine someone telling you they want to run a marathon, but their diet consists entirely of junk food. You’d probably think, “That’s not going to work. You need better fuel.” Well, the same is true for your mind. The content you consume online is the mental equivalent of your physical diet.
Take a moment to audit your digital life:
• What are you watching?
• What are you reading?
• What accounts are you following?
Ask yourself, “In what way is this edifying me, building me, or helping me advance toward my goals?”
It’s easy to scroll endlessly through social media or binge-watch another season of a show that leaves you feeling empty at the end. Studies show that the average person spends about 6 hours and 37 minutes a day consuming digital content. That’s nearly a third of your day—every day! What would happen if even half of that time went toward content that genuinely nourished you?
Here’s what I’ve learned: Your digital diet is a reflection of your priorities. If you want to grow in a particular area—whether it’s in your career, relationships, or spiritual life—start by consuming content that aligns with those priorities. If your feed isn’t feeding you, it’s time to unfollow, unsubscribe, or delete.
Instead of doom-scrolling, curate a digital environment that supports where you want to go. Follow people who inspire you, listen to podcasts that educate you, and read books that challenge your thinking. The content you consume is not passive—it’s shaping your worldview and your future.
2. People: You don’t owe everyone your attention
Another key part of your attention diet is deciding who gets access to your energy and time. This might be the hardest one to manage because, unlike an app, you can’t just “delete” people from your life. Or can you?
Let me share a personal example. A while back, I noticed I was dealing with someone who was deeply narcissistic. Conversations with this person always left me drained, frustrated, and questioning my own sanity. It wasn’t just a personality clash; it was clear that this relationship was unhealthy.
Now, I could have spent time arguing with them, trying to reason with them, or even venting about them to others. But I realized something: I don’t have to engage. So I didn’t. I removed myself from the situation and from their orbit entirely.
Here’s the truth: You don’t owe everyone your attention. It’s not your job to fix, entertain, or accommodate people who aren’t aligned with where you’re going. Energy spent on toxic people is energy you could be using to build your dreams, strengthen your relationships, or take care of yourself.
If someone consistently drains you or brings negativity into your life, the most powerful thing you can do is disengage. That doesn’t mean you have to make a dramatic exit or announce your departure. Simply stop giving them your time and focus. This one decision can transform your mental and emotional health.
3. Don’t Follow the Crowd
The third area of focus is one that often goes unnoticed: the danger of following the crowd. In today’s world, it’s incredibly easy to get swept up in whatever is trending. Social media algorithms are designed to show you what’s popular, not what’s purposeful. But here’s the problem: Paying attention to everything means you end up focusing on nothing.
Think about it: You have a limited bandwidth of attention. Studies suggest that the average human can only focus deeply on three to five things at a time. So, if your attention is scattered across every headline, every TikTok trend, every viral moment, how can you possibly focus on the things that matter most?
I’ll admit, it’s tempting to stay plugged into everything. No one wants to feel left out of the conversation. But being “in the loop” on every pop culture moment won’t help you write that book, launch that business, or deepen your relationships.
Instead, learn to zoom out. Ask yourself:
• What’s truly worth my time and focus?
• Is this helping me move closer to my goals?
• Will this matter in a year—or even in a week?
Choosing to focus on the few things that truly matter to you takes discipline, but it’s worth it. The crowd will always have something new to say, but your life is not a democracy where every trend gets a vote. Be intentional about what you let in.
At the start of this new year, I want to challenge you to take control of your attention diet.
Audit your digital consumption: Only feed your mind with content that builds you.
Set boundaries with people: Give your attention to those who bring value, not negativity.
Resist the pull of the crowd: Focus on what truly matters to you, not what’s trending.
Attention is your most valuable currency. Once you spend it, you can’t get it back. Make 2025 the year you start paying attention to the right things.
So, what will you focus on this year? I’d love to hear your thoughts—reply to this email or drop me a message.
Here’s to a year of intentional living,
M.T. Omoniyi
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