Attention is All You Need.
Practical Takeaways

Find the Medical Disclaimer at the end.
You can’t reach your full potential because you have random performance… ’til now.
Imagine feeling constantly ahead of the game, secure in your choices, and truly in control. Now imagine that feeling slipping away, day after day. It’s a reality many of us face without even realizing it.
For years, I struggled with my focus. In class, my mind would drift, leaving me scrambling to catch up after every lesson. While my friends relaxed, I spent hours replaying what I’d missed, trying to regain my footing. I was a top student on paper, but inside, I was exhausted.
The culprit? Focus—the ability to direct your attention where it matters, when it matters, and thus control your time.
Do you also:
- Find yourself scrolling through your phone or pacing around, struggling to start a task—even when you know it’s important?
- Over-prepare, just to stay afloat, instead of trusting your ability to think clearly when it matters?
- Have ever solved a complex problem easily but struggled to replicate it?
If these sound familiar, you’re not alone. I know what it feels like to be stuck in that cycle—under-productive, and unsure why you can’t get your focus to stick. You can have high days where everything flows, and others less productive ones where you are frustrated by your random performance.
I learned that all of this is connected to my ability to control focus, specifically selective and sustained attention. Then it clicked: attention isn’t some abstract concept. Thanks to neuroscientific breakthroughs called neuromodulation, we now have the tools to take back control of our brains.
Because focus isn’t just about getting more work done—it’s about reclaiming control over your mind and your choices in all aspects of your life. In the next sections, I’ll share how you can do the same and take charge of your focus, starting today.

Focus: Your Real Superpower
First things first: Yes, attention is ABSOLUTELY all you need.
What separates a top 1 student from the rest? Or the best performer among the other top workers? Everyone is motivated, smart, and hardworking—but what’s missing?
Not the focus. Controlled focus!
Picture this: You wake up feeling energized and ready to tackle the day, but within hours, you’re already overwhelmed. Tasks pile up, your mind races, and staying on track feels impossible. By the end of the day, you’ve worked hard, but you’ve accomplished very little.
That’s the danger of distracted focus—when your attention is scattered, so are your results. It’s that you waste so much energy to be fully present when it should be easy and natural, without wasting too much energy. This lack of focus is holding you back in ways you may not even realize, as much at home as at work.
Here’s the kicker: the same lack of focus that’s holding you back today is why your favorite entrepreneurs can work relentlessly for hours, Simone Biles performs with razor-sharp precision under pressure, and LeBron James maintained peak performance year after year, despite the challenges of fame and competition.
What do they have in common? Sharp Focus.
These high performers don’t just do well—they sustain peak performance over time because their attention stays always in control and directed at what matters most. It’s not about working harder; it’s about working easier and smarter with intensity and precision that others don’t have. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon that only a few were able to accomplish.
When you master focus, everything changes. You stop wasting time. You make decisions with clarity and confidence. You stop second-guessing and overthinking. You execute your goals with consistency and unstoppable momentum. And this not only transforms your work—it elevates your personal life, too. Focus changes everything.
Ready to break free from the cycle of distraction? Here’s how we’re going to make it happen.

Resilience. Sustained Performance. Confidence
Step 1: Reinvent Your Cognitive Identity
“If I want to succeed I should work more, put more effort, and make more Sacrifices .”
“I’m not the type of person who can do that.”
“The step is too high.”
It’s time to let go of these beliefs because they’re simply wrong—and I can prove it.
Focus is more than productivity. French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre believed that we aren’t defined by fixed roles, but by the choices we make. How you define yourself shapes everything: your actions, your choices, and the life you create. When I was a kid, I went raspberry-picking with my mom. I filled my basket quickly, and she said, “Wow, you’re so determined!” I didn’t think much of it at the time, but that one word stuck with me: Determined. It became part of my identity, and every decision I made reflected that: I am someone who doesn’t quit.
The story you tell yourself is the life you live. So, what’s your story right now? Are you the underdog who always faces setbacks, or the unstoppable force rising to the top? Here’s the best part: Your identity isn’t fixed. You have the power to rewrite it—right now. Let me make this clear: You can achieve whatever you set your mind to. The issue isn’t a lack of ability—it’s a lack of focus. That’s it.
Start by thinking like the person who has already achieved your goal. Own your future today. This mental shift is your first step toward success.
So, here’s your first lesson: It’s okay to feel like you’re not yet at your best. What matters is that you’re ready to grow—and you know you’ll get there. Your brain has incredible potential, and I’m here to help you unlock it. 😃

Step 2: Know your enemy, understand your brain
We are giving a (brief) overview so you can follow the next articles. A dedicated article on neuroscience will be released soon!
We’ve talked about your identity, daily challenges, and aspirations. Buckle up—it’s time to dive into the science behind it all. No worries if you don’t get it all, we’ll give you some key ideas to keep in mind!
“Make things as simple as possible, but no simpler” – Albert Einstein”
Unfortunately, popular media and the wellness industry often cross that line, creating myths that can leave you feeling more confused than enlightened. A famous example is in the food industry. In the US, the media in the 70s demonized fats, while they were crucial to your metabolism (and brain), leading to the sugar crisis we are facing today!
Many of these typical misconceptions exist in the neuro-hacker community:
1. Dopamine is the key to success: if you have high dopamine you will succeed.
Did you know that people with Brunner syndrome (Monoamine oxidase-A deficiency) have genetically high dopamine? Did you know that high dopamine (and high serotonin and high norepinephrine ) states result in lower-than-average IQ (typically about 85), mild intellectual impairment, impulsive aggressiveness, and behavioral issues[1,2]?
The truth: top dopamine regulation network is the key To success.
2. Taking amphetamine makes healthy individuals smarter.
“…Dextroamphetamine improved performance only in those subjects who had relatively low working-memory capacity at baseline, whereas in the subjects who had high working-memory capacity at baseline, it worsened performance. ” [3]
The Truth: Taking amphetamine lowers cognitive performance among healthy smart people. And we don’t even talk about Aderrall…
Not convinced? Well, let me introduce you to the basis of neuroscience so you will understand by yourself why the mentioned misconceptions are indeed false.
The brain organization functional theory

We’ve all seen that image of the brain showing how each part performs one specific task: this is the functional theory, and this image is called the homunculus. Many interesting cases have confirmed this theory. Please, take a look at videos of Parkinson’s patients, where a doctor can stop the shaking instantly by clicking a button. This is called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), and it makes me shiver everytime I watch these videos. Just by modifying a part of the brain, at the right spot and in the right way, you can change what once seemed unchangeable.

Here are the key areas you need to know: the prefrontal cortex is responsible for managing decision-making, planning, and sustained attention. The amygdala is the emotional core, creating strong links between feelings and memories. Finally, the hippocampus plays a crucial role in storing and retrieving memories, helping you learn from the past and adapt to the present.
In reality, it’s more complex than this, especially for tasks like “attention” and “decision-making,” which involve multiple brain regions working together.
Top-down attention, guided by internal goals and expectations, engages the prefrontal and parietal cortices to direct focus toward specific tasks or stimuli. In contrast, bottom-up attention is triggered by salient external stimuli, involving regions like the visual cortex and amygdala to capture attention automatically. These networks interact dynamically to support different types of attention: selective attention allows us to concentrate on chosen stimuli through top-down processes, while bottom-up mechanisms can override this focus when highly salient stimuli demand immediate attention. For sustained attention, top-down processes help maintain focus over time, while bottom-up ensures we remain alert to important changes in the environment. This interplay balances goal-directed behavior with adaptability, enabling effective navigation in complex, dynamic settings.
So, how do these brain regions communicate?
The neurotransmitters are chemicals that transfer information and balance the brain areas.
Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers your brain uses to communicate across billions of neurons. Without them, the intricate symphony of thoughts, emotions, and actions that shape our daily lives would cease
What are neurotransmitters and how do they work?
Imagine two neurons: the presynaptic neuron releases neurotransmitters into the tiny gap between cells, called the synapse. These chemicals travel across the synapse and bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron, triggering a response. This response can either excite the neuron to send a signal forward or inhibit it to prevent further activity. This on-off signaling mechanism is how your brain processes everything—from reaching for a coffee cup to solving a math problem.
The amount of neurotransmitter released and its duration of activity in the synapse are precisely regulated. Any disruption to this balance can significantly impact brain function.

How Neurotransmitters Influence Focus?
Fluctuations in neurotransmitter levels directly impact cognitive abilities such as attention, memory, and motivation. For attention:
- Too much dopamine can make you overly impulsive, chasing immediate rewards instead of long-term goals.
- Low serotonin levels can destabilize your mood, making it harder to concentrate or stay motivated.
- An imbalance of acetylcholine might impair your ability to focus sharply, while excess glutamate can lead to overexcitation of neurons, causing mental fatigue or even damage.
- An excess of glutamate can result in excitotoxicity, overstimulating neurons to the point of cell damage or death, which may impair cognitive function and focus.
- High norepinephrine levels can heighten stress and hypervigilance, potentially leading to anxiety and difficulty concentrating. Conversely, low norepinephrine levels may result in lethargy and reduced ability to focus on tasks.
The danger of disrupting neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters don’t work in isolation—they interact and influence each other in complex ways, in the whole brain. Take dopamine and acetylcholine, for example. Acetylcholine helps identify and focus on a relevant or rewarding stimulus, while dopamine sustains this focus and links it to a sense of reward. This interplay illustrates why targeting only one neurotransmitter can lead to unintended side effects or unhealthy brain function.
Beware of oversimplified claims, like those promoting “dopamine controllers.” The brain’s chemistry is far more intricate. If a magical dopamine pill existed to suppress all productivity and success issues, we would have solved the problem already—but naive attempts often result in severe side effects that damage your brain and ruin lives [7,8].
So, how do I get control over my brain? Once released into synapses, neurotransmitters bind to receptors on postsynaptic neurons, opening or closing specific ion channels. This allows charged ions like sodium, potassium, or calcium to flow through the membrane, generating electrical currents essential for transmitting neural signals.
The Brain as an Electric Circuit
Brain waves result from synchronized electrical activity among neurons, reflecting various mental states and cognitive processes. When large groups of neurons fire together, they generate brain waves at specific frequencies, crucial for functions like attention, focus, and memory.
Brain waves are categorized by frequency (measured in Hertz, Hz), each linked to distinct mental states:

By interpreting the brain as a system of synchronized brain waves and electrical circuits, we can better grasp its complex interactions. Since the brain works with electrical signals, this approach is natural by essence. So the idea here is that by supporting your brain electrical activity, we are able to enhance your focus (and beyond actually). Indeed, such techniques already exist and are called neuromodulation (TES).
Step 3: Boost your brain
Overview of Techniques to Improve Focus
But before talking about it, let’s talk about other forms of neuroenhancement, which some you can start implementing today, and most importantly why you should consider TES!
Soft Techniques: Meditation and Lifestyle Routines
Popular methods like meditation, supplements, and sleep improvements can show measurable benefits [9]. These routines are great for establishing a foundation, but their effects on performance can be modest. While they help improve well-being, they often don’t drastically enhance focus or productivity.
But if these were enough to truly elevate your performance, you wouldn’t be reading this now. Most of your competitors already rely on these methods. So, what’s the next step?
The Dark Side: Psychoactive Substances
Many turn to substances like Adderall for increased productivity. This drug boosts dopamine and norepinephrine pathways to enhance focus and attention, especially in those with ADHD [10]. While it can improve productivity short term [Soetens et al., 1993: Amphetamine and Task Performance Under Stress], it often leads to diminished performance in the long run. Overuse can result in overconfidence, reduced work quality, and even addiction [11].
While Adderall can be life-saving for conditions like ADHD, it’s not ideal for sustained cognitive enhancement over a lifetime. Cultural pressures have normalized its misuse, but these drugs create euphoria, which the brain associated with high performance, leading to addiction to the feelings rather than the actual outcomes.
Modern Neurotech: A Safer, Smarter Alternative



Left : Deep Brain Stimulation Center: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Right : Transcranial Electric Stimulation
Neurotechnology offers a more sustainable, safe, and effective alternative. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has transformed Parkinson’s treatment by restoring balance to abnormal brain activity [12]. TMS followed, offering non-invasive treatments for mental health conditions [13].
However, Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (TES) is the grand-public safe and most accessible solution for healthy individuals. It’s user-friendly, portable, and much more affordable than TMS. Historically, TES has been used since ancient Egypt for its therapeutic properties [14].
Modern TES has shown measurable cognitive improvements in healthy individuals [15], providing real, science-backed enhancements in focus, memory, and attention without the risks of other methods. That’s what we’re going to explain in detail in future articles : welcome to the future of neuroenhancement!
Conclusion: Your Turn to become a superhero
Attention and focus control are crucial for daily life and success. Contrary to popular belief, attention isn’t an unchangeable trait like height or eye color. Even for these aspects, invasive solutions now exist. However, you can safely and efficiently enhance your attention to achieve success and take control of your life, as I did.
I was diagnosed with ADHD at 39, and Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (TES) worked wonders for me. TES is effective for both ADHD and healthy individuals, making it the most accessible and safest solution for focus enhancement.
Believing that high-quality focus enhancement should be available to all healthy individuals, I co-founded Odyssey Neuroscience. Our mission is to help ambitious students and executives achieve greater success by improving their focus.
I’ll share my personal history to illustrate why attention control is so impactful and how TES was THE solution for me. Eager to learn more about TES, and what we do at Odyssey? Follow us…
Your odyssey is about to begin…
Medical Disclaimer: here I talk about my personal experience. I am not your doctor and this text is not intended for any medical use. If you need any medical assistance, please follow your doctor’s instructions.

References
1- Brunner syndrome. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/medgen/208683
2- Van Rhijn, J.R., Shi, Y., Bormann, M., Mossink, B., Frega, M., Recaioglu, H., Hakobjan, M., Gunnewiek, T.K., Schoenmaker, C., Palmer, E. and Faivre, L., 2022. Brunner syndrome associated MAOA mutations result in NMDAR hyperfunction and increased network activity in human dopaminergic neurons. Neurobiology of disease, 163, p.105587, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105587.
3- Mattay, V. S., Callicott, J. H., Bertolino, A., Heaton, I., Frank, J. A., Coppola, R., Berman, K. F., Goldberg, T. E., & Weinberger, D. R. (2000). Effects of dextroamphetamine on cognitive performance and cortical activation. NeuroImage, 12(3), 268–275. https://doi.org/10.1006/nimg.2000.0610
4- Mattay, V. S., Goldberg, T. E., Fera, F., Hariri, A. R., Tessitore, A., Egan, M. F., Kolachana, B., Callicott, J. H., & Weinberger, D. R. (2003). Catechol O-methyltransferase val158-met genotype and individual variation in the brain response to amphetamine. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 100(10), 6186–6191. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0931309100
5- Marazziti, D., Avella, M. T., Ivaldi, T., Palermo, S., Massa, L., Vecchia, A. D., Basile, L., & Mucci, F. (2021). Neuroenhancement: State of the Art and Future Perspectives. Clinical neuropsychiatry, 18(3), 137–169. https://doi.org/10.36131/cnfioritieditore20210303
6- White, T. L., Lott, D. C., & de Wit, H. (2006). Personality and the subjective effects of acute amphetamine in healthy volunteers. Neuropsychopharmacology, 31(5), 1064-1074. https://www.nature.com/articles/1300939
7- Uddin, M. S., Sufian, M. A., Kabir, M. T., Hossain, M. F., Nasrullah, M., Islam, I., … & Khanum, S. (2017). Amphetamines: Potent recreational drug of abuse. J Addict Res Ther, 8(4), 1-12.
8- Steinkellner, T., Freissmuth, M., Sitte, H. H., & Montgomery, T. (2011). The ugly side of amphetamines: short-and long-term toxicity of 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA,‘Ecstasy’), methamphetamine and D-amphetamine. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/BC.2011.016/html
9- Donald McCown, MAMS (2004). Cognitive and Perceptual Benefits of Meditation. Elsevier. doi:10.1016/j.sigm.2004.12.001
10- Efficacy of Adderall® for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A meta-analysis. S.V. Faraone and J. Biederman (2002) https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547020060020
11- Stephanie A Bjorn (2018). Neurocognitive, Autonomic, and Mood Effects of Adderall: A Pilot Study of Healthy College Students. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6165228/
12 – Alim Louis Benabid (2003) Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s disease. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2003.11.001
13 – Coles and al. (2020) Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression 10.1176/appi.ajp.2019.19070720
14- C. I. Sarmiento, D. San-Juan and V. B. S. Prasath (2016) Letter to the Editor: Brief history of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS): from electric fishes to microcontrollers. Psychological Medecine https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291716001926
15- Dennis J.L.G. Schutter, Miles Wischnewski (2016) A meta-analytic study of exogenous oscillatory electric potentials in neuroenhancement. ScienceDirect https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.04.011