08/24/2026
You don’t always see what is around you—you see what your brain has learned to notice.
That is the power of your Reticular Activating System (RAS).
The RAS is a network in the brainstem involved in alertness and attention. Because your brain is constantly receiving more sensory information than it can consciously process, it helps determine what reaches your awareness.
In simple terms, your RAS acts like a filter.
What you repeatedly focus on—your goals, beliefs, concerns and intentions can influence what captures your attention.
I experienced this when I decided I wanted a red Mercedes.
After test-driving one, I could imagine exactly how it would feel to own it. I connected the car with elegance, success and flow. Suddenly, I began seeing red Mercedes everywhere.
Had they appeared overnight? Of course not. They had always been there, but now my brain recognized them as relevant.
Eventually, I didn’t simply purchase the car—I custom ordered it. I chose the interior, the wheels and every detail that made it uniquely mine. I drove it for ten years, until a major car accident in 2022.
The experience taught me an important lesson:
You don’t necessarily notice everything that is available to you. You are more likely to notice what your mind has been prepared to look for.
The same principle can influence your business, career, health and personal growth.
• Focus only on problems, and problems will dominate your attention.
• Focus on opportunities, and you are more likely to notice possibilities.
• Focus constantly on fear, and risks may become all you can see.
This doesn’t mean that focus magically creates results. Action is still required. But your attention influences what you notice, the decisions you make and the actions you take.
How can you direct your RAS more intentionally?
• Set a specific goal. “I want success” is vague. “I want to welcome five new aligned clients this month” gives your mind something clear to recognize.
• Visualize the outcome. Spend a few minutes imagining what achieving your goal would look, sound and feel like.
• Reinforce it with emotion. Meaningful goals hold your attention more powerfully than empty words.
• Control your inputs. What you read, watch, discuss and repeatedly expose yourself to shapes what stays at the front of your mind.
• Act on what you notice. Your RAS may help bring a networking event, potential client or partnership to your attention—but you must still take the next step.
As Tony Robbins says, “Where focus goes, energy flows.”
Your RAS is always filtering and highlighting. The question is:
Are you allowing it to focus on distractions—or are you intentionally directing it toward growth?
The opportunities, people and solutions you need may already be around you.
What are you training your mind to notice?
If you’re curious about how your thoughts, subconscious patterns, and focus may be influencing your results,
I’d be happy to have a conversation. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-petrescu/ or reach out through my website : https://elenapetrescu.com/
