The Neurologists Have Spoken: Here's What is Being Discussed About Attention, Focus, and Discipline

the neurotransmitters that activate during attention and focus: key to discipline 

Everyone struggles getting out of bed in the morning. (if you don't, please share you secrets)

Do you find yourself having a difficult time maintaining a good habit for longer than three days? It could all boil down to discipline. Neurologists have distinguished the area in the prefrontal cortex (of the brain) that is responsible for attention, are you ready? 

The Anterior Cingulate Cortex 

This area in the brain is responsible for signaling the two neural networks: 
The Dorsal Attention Network 
and the Ventral Attention Network 

The Dorsal Attention Network 

-key info: intentional attention 

the conscious attention that we choose to focus on in our life

The Ventral Attention Network 

-key info: reflexive attention

this is where the distractions and survival instincts 

Something to remember: 

these neural networks in the brain are like muscles. 

If you choose to strengthen the neurons in these networks, then attention and discipline will come naturally to you. However, it is up to you where to direct your focus. 

The Salience Network & Neurotransmitters

salience

[ˈsālēəns]

NOUN

1. the quality of being particularly noticeable or important; prominence.

   "the political salience of religion has a considerable impact"

The choices you have made your entire life have strengthened and destroyed chemical bonds within your brain's salience network: it is up to you to strengthen good habits and destroy bad habits by making better choices each day. 

Once you make a choice, it becomes encoded in your DNA, even your children will feel the repercussions of each choice. These choices lead to habits and formative behaviors. 

A quote that helps me build upon my good habits: 

"An object in motion stays in motion until acted upon by an external force" 

- Isaac Newton 

 

The Salience Network of neurons decides what we need to focus our attention on at any given moment, and decides whether the Dorsal Attention Network or Ventral Attention Network needs to kick into gear. 

So How do my Choices Affect Attention?

A great example on Page 10 of Codex of Destiny Power describes a lion attack. Our evolutionary choices have cued us that lions are dangerous for humans, therefore the Salience Network will direct our attention to this danger. The Salience Network cues the Ventral Attention Network and activate our parasympathetic nervous system (fight or flight). Thus, triggering the following neurotransmitters to respond: adrenaline, dopamine. cortisol, and norepinephrine. (I'll explain these soon)  

All of these neural networks are together and can be strengthened by the myelin sheath (a topic for later discussion) 

This happens because of previous choices in your life. Are you a fighter or will you take flight to higher ground?