Most people these days know me as the working mom, the business leader, the woman juggling calendars and carpools, managing teams and checking homework. But there’s a version of me that many have never met.

Back in college, I lived on the edges of “normal.” I thrived in the weird and wonderful world of the arts, studying at Tyler School of Art. I had paint under my fingernails and big ideas about how life could be.

After the stress of a normal day, I decided to go for a quiet walk one evening to clear my head. Deadlines were piling up, emails were unanswered, and I had recently signed up for a professional development course. My mind felt cluttered, and I needed to regroup.

This experience is a perfect metaphor for work. Just like my walk, the way we direct our attention determines what we perceive as important. But too often, we get distracted by new projects, constant emails, last-minute requests—or worse, by other people’s urgent (but not truly important) priorities.