We all know the value of focusing as a mechanism for creating successful outcomes in our life. The more we concentrate our time and resources on something, the more likely we are to be successful at it.

In law school, we focused on learning the law. When we started practicing, we focused on bringing in clients, doing the work, and running the business side of things.

What we focus on grows. Which is why it is important to choose what we want to focus on instead of aimlessly doing whatever might be in front of us.

The first step is knowing what you want.

When you know you want something, you activate your Reticular Activating System (RAS), the part of your brain that helps you notice things that are important to you and filter out things that aren’t.

When we lived in caves, what was important to us was finding food and staying safe from enemies. Our RAS helped us stay alert about the strangers we encountered and notice the berries that were safe to eat.

Today, if you’re interested in buying a red car, you suddenly notice red cars everywhere. And tend not to notice ones that are green or blue.

If you want to build your practice, your RAS will help you notice things that will help you do that. Articles, people, ideas, and opportunities you might not have noticed before are seemingly everywhere.

How can you use this to your advantage? By getting clear on what you want. Decide what’s important to you—your goals, your purpose, your values—and let your RAS go to work.

When it does, pay attention. The things it helps you notice are consistent with what you said you wanted.