The article explains that attention acts as the brain’s “flashlight,” directing mental energy toward whatever we focus on—and wasting that energy on worries, regrets, or uncontrollable events drains our well-being and performance. Research shows most of our worries never come true, proving how much energy we lose to unproductive thinking. High-performance experts from fields like the military and elite sports agree that attentional control is the most important trainable skill for success under pressure. To strengthen it, the author suggests practical exercises like focusing only on what’s controllable, practicing mindful breathing, limiting social media, and regularly auditing where your attention goes. The key message is to deliberately aim your mental “flashlight” toward actions and thoughts that actually matter.
