153. Traction vs. Distraction with Nir Eyal
It could be argued that at no other time in history has there been more external distractions in the average person’s daily life than there are today. This week’s guest Nir Eyal, bestselling author, teacher, consultant, and lecturer, discusses his book, “Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life” as well as the topic of Traction vs. Distraction. During our discussion Nir stresses the importance of the four strategies or principles that can help us break away from distraction, how to identify what it is we want to gain traction on in our own lives, the distractions getting in the way of this, and the internal and external triggers that may be bringing on those distractions. Finally, he shares how making pacts with ourselves can be a powerful tool in taking that final step toward choosing your life.
Guest’s Bio: Nir Eyal Official Site: Articles, Videos, and Newsletter (nirandfar.com)
Guest’s book: Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life (nirandfar.com)
Quote:
“People who are indistractable think, ‘there’s a lot I can do here, I do have agency, I do have control, if I take a few steps now to prevent getting distracted tomorrow.’”
“Every society creates a scapegoat – some kind of external force – that makes us do something we don’t want to do.”
“The antidote for impulsiveness is forethought.”
“It’s about finding those things in your life that distract you and taking small steps in the future to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
What triggers, both internally and externally, do you think cause you to be distracted from achieving your own goals?
Do you make pacts with yourself – such as the ones discussed in the episode or will you be more likely to do so moving forward?
Is there someone in your life who is particularly good at focusing on what they want and doesn’t allow distractions to get in their way?
Do you recognize the difference between diversions and distractions you’ve had in your own life?
