Maria Konnikova

Choice of attention—to pay attention to this and ignore that—is to the inner life what choice of action is to the outer. In both cases man is responsible for his choice and must accept the consequences. As Ortega y Gasset said: “Tell me to what you pay attention, and I will tell you who you are.”

—W. H. AUDEN

“Tell me to what you pay attention, and I will tell you who you are.”

both cases man is responsible for his choice and must accept the consequences.