Rapt : Attention and the Focused Life

by Gallagher, Winifred (Author)

• ISBN13: 9780143116905
• ISBN10: 0143116908
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-03-30
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)

Summary

A revolutionary look at how what we pay attention to determines how we experience life Acclaimed behavioral science writer Winifred Gallagher's Raptmakes the radical argument that much of the quality of your life depends not on fame or fortune, beauty or brains, fate or coincidence, but on what you choose to pay attention to. Raptintroduces a diverse cast of characters, from researchers to artists to ranchers, to illustrate the art of living the interested life. As their stories show, by focusing on the most positive and productive elements of any situation, you can shape your inner experience and expand your world. By learning to focus, you can improve your concentration, broaden your inner horizons, and most important, feel what it means to be fully alive.

Author Biography

Winnifred Gallagher's books include House Thinking, Just the Way You Are, Working on God, and The Power of Place. She has written for numerous publications, including The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times.

Table of Contents

Introduction Choosing the Focused Life	p. 1
Pay Attention: Your Life Depends on It	p. 15
Inside Out: Feelings Frame Focus	p. 29
Outside In: What You See Is What You Get	p. 43
Nature: Born to Focus	p. 55
Nurture: This Is Your Brain on Attention	p. 67
Relationships: Attending to Different Worlds	p. 81
Productivity: Work Zone	p. 99
Decisions: Focusing Illusions	p. 115
Creativity: An Eye for Detail	p. 133
Focus Interruptus	p. 145
Disordered Attention	p. 163
Motivation: Eyes on the Prize	p. 173
Health: Energy Goes Where Attention Flows	p. 189
Meaning: Attending to What Matters Most	p. 203
Afterword	p. 219
Acknowledgments	p. 221
Notes and Suggested Readings	p. 223
Index	p. 235
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