Is Your Attention Being Hacked? Reclaiming Focus for Veterans and Active Duty Warriors

Hello, I'm Joel Holdford—retired US Army Combat Veteran, former Police Chief and SWAT Team Commander, and now a Lifeonomics Coach dedicated to helping my fellow veterans thrive.

Let me hit you with a direct question, brother or sister in arms: What are you paying attention to throughout your day?

In the field, we know focus can mean the difference between mission success and failure. But off the battlefield, in civilian life or even during transition, our attention is under constant attack—not from enemy fire, but from pings, scrolls, and endless feeds that hack our minds. We've learned a hard truth in coaching: what we feed grows. We feed the experience of our lives first through our attention. Feed distractions, and chaos grows. Feed what's truly important—your family, your healing, your purpose—and resilience grows stronger.

I've seen it in myself and in so many vets we've coached. After years of high-stakes focus in combat or command, coming home means the "threats" change: notifications ricochet like stray rounds, social media captures us in loops of comparison or anger, pulling us away from the people and moments that matter most. Our attention gets hacked, and too often, we're the ones handing over the keys.

Why does this hit veterans especially hard? Distractions amplify the challenges we already carry—PTSD symptoms, TBI fog, the struggle to transition, and the heartbreaking reality of high suicide rates. Recent data shows the toll: a 2025 study found that blocking mobile internet on smartphones significantly improves sustained attention and reduces anxiety/depression symptoms in heavy users—issues that compound for many vets dealing with mental health stressors. Another recent finding links excessive smartphone use to shorter focus times (down to ~47 seconds in stressed individuals), making it tougher to stay present with family during reintegration. And in a world where family time is a key buffer against isolation, vets report distractions stealing precious connection hours—contributing to the ongoing veteran suicide crisis, where rates remain alarmingly high (nearly 60-92% elevated compared to non-vets in key demographics, per 2025 updates).

Truly successful people—whether on the battlefield or in civilian life—master Focused Attention: the deliberate act of directed free will, holding attention only on what is truly important to them and the people who are truly important to them. We can reclaim that skill. It's not about perfection; it's about choosing where we aim our rifle of attention every day.

This week, our challenge is simple but powerful: Pay attention... to your attention.

• For one full day, track where your focus goes. Notice when it drifts in circles (replaying old missions or worries), ricochets (jumping from app to app), or gets captured (by the phone buzzing like an alert you can't ignore).

• Journal it: What captured my focus today? Did it serve my priorities—my healing, my family, my next mission in life?

• At the start of each day, set your intent: "Today, I choose to feed what grows my best life and protects those I love."

Start small—maybe a 25-minute focus block with your phone on silent, like clearing a room before entry. Build from there. We've seen this shift reduce stress, sharpen clarity, and strengthen bonds in our veteran community.

We're in this together. Join us in the fight to protect our attention like we protect our brothers and sisters. Share your wins in the comments, tag a battle buddy who needs this, and let's build each other up.

Ready to take back control? Watch the full video with me, dive deeper in this post, use the LIGHTBRIDGE app for daily tools to support your transition and well-being, or explore the book for more strategies. You've got the discipline—now aim it where it counts.