# Focus is Distraction By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2024-09-24 In elementary school, it is not uncommon for kids to be admonished to stay focused. There is a great deal of fundamental information to learn, and being distracted makes learning those things more challenging. Distractions are often viewed as impediments to focusing. To a point, this relationship holds. Beyond that point, the distinction between the two dissolves. In fact, in adulthood, focus is a distraction as it allows one to ignore all the other things that one would rather not address. Children escape into distraction; adults escape into focus. Or at least those are the common, socially acceptable forms of distraction for each stage. The complexities of existence are unacknowledged with moments of focus. These complexities buffet one, and the relative calm provided by focusing on something concrete is often welcomed. It is possible through that focus to gain mastery, to feel a sense of control, and to obtain validation. Focus can be seductive. When the focus becomes a distraction, it can also be limiting. What one avoids can define oneself as much as, if not more, upon what one focuses. Humans seek distractions because life is overwhelming. Too much resides outside one’s control. Both focus and distraction draw attention away from this. Overcoming it requires acknowledging the degree to which one’s focus is a distraction. #### Related Items [[Learning]] [[Focus]] [[Distractions]] [[Acceptance]] [[Society]] [[Attention]]