The Power of Attention

The Power of Attention

 Spiritual Dimensions of Leadership

Where did Sokolow and Houston catch my ATTENTION?

·        “You’ve probably had a moment when you said, “What was I thinking?” The answer is you probably weren’t. Certainly not with a significant amount of attention.”

o   Not paying attention gets me into trouble often. Simple things like not being able to find my keys. I don’t pay attention to where I placed my keys. A goal of mine is to get organized. I would like to be more organized at home and at school. I feel that my attention gets in the way. I am one of those kids in your class that easily gets distracted and forgets to finish number ten or doesn’t put their name on the top. I would like slow down and give my full attention to the task that is being completed.

·        “If you get caught up in the rat race, the rats win because you just don’t go anywhere with anything. Everything spins around because you don’t have a sense of focus.”

o   Right now, I feel like the hamster in the ball. I know that things will slow down since we have moved into SUMMER TIME, but during the school year, life moves very quickly.  I don’t have much time, but I wouldn’t give anything up………except for commutingJ! I need to make sure that I give my attention to the significant/meaningful people and events in my life. Since I have limited time, I need to make sure that my attention is focused on my kids at home and at school.  I need to pay attention to the growth that my students are making, not to the new dj inker boarder that will really make my lesson look cute. J……I was introduced to the dj inker world last year….I love it!

·        “Someone who wants to be an enlightened leader but who doesn’t have a sense of attention is like an absent-minded professor who has all the theory but can’t find the way home at night.”

o   We must be able to apply ourselves in an intentional way. We must pay attention to our student’s social needs and to where they need to grow academically. If we slow down and make intentional decisions, our kids will have more success.

·        “You don’t want to work harder, you want to work smarter.”

o   Summer Masters Work

§  Intention and attention work together.  My work will be more intentional if I stop and give it my full attention. I am a morning person. I plan on using the time in the morning before my kids get up to work on my masters work. If I give my work the attention it needs, I will be working smarter, not harder.