The Spiritual Discipline Nobody Talks About: Attention
Whenever I hear someone say “pay attention,” I always hear this refrain in my head:
“Who is this ‘Attention,’ and how much do I owe them?”
Ba-da-bum. 🥁
And yet, paying attention these days is something that we all decidedly struggle with. You may have heard someone say, “You’ve got the attention span of a goldfish.” While funny, it’s been proven false that goldfish have an attention span of only nine seconds.
In 8-Second Attention Spans: Tracking the myth that just won’t quit,1 the author reveals:
The many sensationalist reports — including those from USA Today, the National Post, the New York Times, and Guardian — and seen in many articles, books, infographics, seminars, etc., all basically say the same thing: A 2015 study from Microsoft Canada found that people’s attention spans have gone from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8 seconds in 2013, while goldfish have 9-second attention spans.
This infographic (pictured above) — taken straight from the report — is responsible for a lot of nonsense.2
The research actually shows that goldfish can be trained to drive cars, learning mazes, and practice sound association.3 Many claim they can recognize your face, though you can’t unlock them with a smile like your iPhone.
The Attention Span Myth
The attention span myth is deeply ingrained in our psyche. We have all been told our attention spans are declining. But that research may be faulty. What is perceived as a lack of attention may actually be the result of too many choices.4 Hollywood continues to release 2+ hour movies, and people have no issues with engagement there.
The myth is pervasive. In fact, in 2022, King’s College London was part of a major UK public survey that found:
50% of respondents “wrongly believe the average attention span among adults today is just eight seconds long.”
50% of respondents believe that we have a worse attention span than goldfish5
Perhaps we’re quick to believe the myth because of smart phones, technology and a growing awareness of our own imbalance in focus. The reality is that we can still focus, but like humans throughout the milennia, we must still discipline our minds. Do your own research, but let’s quit believing that we are conditioned and now simply unable to “pay attention.”
The Spiritual Disciple of Attention
A quick search of the Bible reveals that English translations have rendered several words/phrases from Hebrew and Greek as “pay attention.” Consider these references:
“If you will carefully obey the LORD your God, do what is right in his sight, pay attention to his commands, and keep all his statutes, I will not inflict any illnesses on you that I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.” (Exodus 15:26)
“Listen, sons, to a father’s discipline, and pay attention so that you may gain understanding” (Proverbs 4:1)
“Evil generation, pay attention to the word of the LORD!” (Jeremiah 2:31)
“And [Jesus] said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure you use, it will be measured to you - and more will be added to you.’” (Mark 4:24)
“We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” (2 Peter 1:19)
In Galatians, Paul reveals to us character qualities that are divinely-given “gifts of the Spirit.” In that remarkable list, “self-control” appears. Here’s why it matters to us paying attention.
Self-control is needed over our mind. We all have the ability to choose what we think about and for how long. It’s not that you can’t focus. It’s that you are choosing what to focus on. The subject matter that you “pay attention” to matters, in other words.
You can spend 45 minutes doomscrolling, or you can spend the same amount of time reading that which will uplift and inspire you (I highly recommend the Bible!). You can watch a football game for three hours, interrupted with chips and guac, occasional bathroom breaks, or you could choose to invest three hours in that project you need to knock out (add enjoy the same snack and potty breaks).
When you pay attention to what matters, you’ll discover that what you’re paying becomes an investment rather than an expense in your life. We all know the feeling of “I just wasted an hour on that,” and knowing it isn’t ultimately beneficial to us. Why not embrace self-control and focus an hour of your time on something that you’ll be grateful for?
A caveat: I’m not against enjoying life - at all! Sometimes I’m really grateful for lighthearted Reels that have made me burst out laughing. I’ve shared them with family and friends. What I’m against (in my own life) is being ruled by Reels. Of lacking self-control in my attention.
It’s a spiritual exercise to claw back control of your thinking. I encourage you to determinedly embrace an intentional attention.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about [pay attention to] such things.” (Philippians 4:8)
8-Second Attention Spans: Tracking the myth that just won’t quit, by Ryo Mac (Medium: March 17, 2023)
Ibid.
Attention Span Of Goldfish – Debunking The 3-Second Myth & Boosting, by Howard Parker (AquaFarm: August 13, 2025)
The Myth of the 8-Second Attention Span, by Shaun Buck (Entrepreneur: August 3, 2017)
Medium, Ryo Mac.