Are you just going through the motions, or are you genuinely engaged?
Irina Rokosz
Back in the day, I worked with a consultant who once asked me, “What is the most valuable thing you possess?” I couldn’t answer to his satisfaction. Apparently, it was time. My 20-year-old self had no idea.
Recently, however, everyone keeps pounding on the fact that attention is the most valuable currency. Especially when it comes to getting potential customers to notice you. (Although trying to get your friends and relatives to listen to what you’re saying is not far off.)
So, which one is it: time or attention? Here’s my take:
You cannot pay attention without spending time. But you can very well spend time without paying any attention. Therefore, time is a quantity currency, and attention is a quality currency. How much time you spend determines the duration of your engagement, and how much attention you spend determines the quality of your engagement. Use both wisely!