Attention is powerful and it amplifies whatever we pay attention to, but it is also very fragile and can be rapidly depleted by stress, threats, or poor mood (Dr. Amishi Jha). When your attentional resources are spent, you can’t perform well, and you must take a break and replenish. Trying to push through when your attentional resources are low can lead to poor or weaker-than-usual performance, lower self-esteem, loss of confidence, anxiety, or depression.
Attention is selected as a top five skill because attention is trainable. The neural circuits that sub-serve attention exhibit plasticity which means they can be strengthened with practice. Studies using fMRI and other measures have demonstrated that significant changes occur both in the architecture and function of the brain when people practice skills like mindfulness which strengthen attention. Observable and measurable changes can occur within as little as eight to twelve weeks of daily practice. To be mindful of attention is to notice where your attention is being allocated and to direct it mindfully toward the information or skills that help us accomplish our goals or purpose in life.