<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[The Focused Human]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Focused Human]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2026 11:03:05 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.the-focused-human.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[How Do You Get Into a Flow State?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Flow arrives when your attention has a clear line to follow and room to follow it. Here is how to prepare the room and let absorption find you.]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/how-to-get-into-a-flow-state</link><guid isPermaLink="false">9c7182ed-67dd-45df-b6b0-c791ba78baa4</guid><pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2026 08:39:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_29f8f0880f8a4683adf1c88e5d57189d~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Do I Feel Guilty When I Relax?]]></title><description><![CDATA[You sit down to rest and something shifts — a pressure that the time isn't being well spent. Here's where that guilt comes from and what actually settles it.]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/why-do-i-feel-guilty-when-i-relax</link><guid isPermaLink="false">dcf4e815-3c4c-4287-926b-68c78516d6cd</guid><pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:34:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_f28ee1b5495d42e18c0b70f23d3c3195~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Meta Muse and OpenAI Dots: Three Quick Questions Before You Hand Off Your Day]]></title><description><![CDATA[Once an agent handles your tasks, what does your attention get to do? Three quick questions to ask before you hand something off.]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/meta-muse-openai-dots-ai-agents</link><guid isPermaLink="false">9f2bd879-5d1c-4e1c-af20-2219fa2315f6</guid><pubDate>Wed, 30 Sep 2026 15:49:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_12ffbf10d5c8497dbfb644a5822dc9f9~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Is It Too Late to Start Something New?]]></title><description><![CDATA[The difficulty is the whole point. What to look for in a new thing, and how to survive being visibly bad at it.]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/is-it-too-late-to-start-something-new</link><guid isPermaLink="false">c38611b1-454b-4ae6-a091-7da71183bc67</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:54:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_f99419829a9f47ceba2afd94efdbb637~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Can’t I Decide What to Watch?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Ten minutes of scrolling before a show is a solvable problem, and the answer is a short list you write once.]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/why-cant-i-decide-what-to-watch</link><guid isPermaLink="false">8f660673-8a0c-4a38-b6a7-92bd0a292976</guid><pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2026 15:27:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_6a3cbe5051004dd49f677dc2bbff7612~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Can’t I Relax Without My Phone?]]></title><description><![CDATA[A quiet pause can feel uncomfortable at first. Giving it a little room may help you discover what you actually want to do next.]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/why-cant-i-relax-without-my-phone</link><guid isPermaLink="false">97de0683-30d5-4b3a-bb4e-1cc827e5e9c7</guid><pubDate>Sun, 27 Sep 2026 15:33:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_f3b2cf527e4c410594b49e88e6dc947d~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Can’t I Read a Book Anymore?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Long reading is a capacity you can practice. Here are three conditions that may help you make room for it again.]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/why-cant-i-read-a-book-anymore</link><guid isPermaLink="false">4d0cd3ab-ffde-4e13-b150-6f2fb13ed82a</guid><pubDate>Sat, 26 Sep 2026 15:22:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_3246807a314847a3bfb423ad0428896e~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Does GPS Weaken Your Sense of Direction?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Turn-by-turn directions get you there every time. Your sense of where you are is a separate skill, and it stays sharp when you use it.]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/does-gps-weaken-your-sense-of-direction</link><guid isPermaLink="false">0500e43f-2e99-4803-8308-75001e7b8d6e</guid><pubDate>Fri, 25 Sep 2026 17:56:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_b8dd545908e84a54967e3f9671dcf936~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Does Writing by Hand Still Do Something for You?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Typing is faster. A pen does something different, and a few moments in your week are worth the two minutes it costs.]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/does-writing-by-hand-still-do-something-for-you</link><guid isPermaLink="false">0a5abd82-beb3-4f34-ba60-4efb08baadfb</guid><pubDate>Thu, 24 Sep 2026 11:08:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_c765d409930a469c9b71d0573df8fcb4~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[AI Anxiety: 3 Questions to Turn Fear into Useful Action]]></title><description><![CDATA[Three questions for separating what is known from what you fear, and choosing what to do next.]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/ai-anxiety-three-questions</link><guid isPermaLink="false">07845889-8344-4236-8133-5bc045a69a81</guid><pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2026 20:56:57 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_5773631618d04d3bad431c3d6c4f5ef5~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Who Should Decide Whether AI Is Safe?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Sam Altman says people outside the AI labs need a real say. Four questions tell you whether that promise becomes real oversight.]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/who-should-decide-whether-ai-is-safe</link><guid isPermaLink="false">f551ba3d-b27b-4db1-8453-18a96a216f2a</guid><pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2026 04:26:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_0349d7d0b08e4ac3942dbb720ffe2eb5~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Can You Trust AI With a Money Question?]]></title><description><![CDATA[AI makes money questions easier to understand. Three questions tell you when an answer is ready to act on.]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/can-you-trust-ai-with-a-money-question</link><guid isPermaLink="false">ec0ad226-63fa-429e-b076-022fa1a66218</guid><pubDate>Mon, 21 Sep 2026 20:36:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_94cf07cea1a94b1aa6e6dca74cb3355d~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Can an AI Companion Help When You Feel Lonely?]]></title><description><![CDATA[A supportive chat can be a place to gather yourself. Three questions tell you whether it is doing that. It is easy to see the appeal. You can open a chat at 11:40 p.m. and say the thing you do not yet know how to say to a person. The reply comes back patient, unhurried, and available. A chat can help you put a worry into words, rehearse a difficult conversation, or turn a swirl of thoughts into one manageable next step. What a supportive chat does wellYou can say the unformed version of a...]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/can-an-ai-companion-help-when-you-feel-lonely</link><guid isPermaLink="false">cd0a27fa-d078-4fcc-8a54-7bd34d8b4ba5</guid><pubDate>Sun, 20 Sep 2026 19:49:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_976eba421dbb4f5b872167236ee09a13~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Gemini Hacked Three Companies. What That Means for Anyone Using AI Agents.]]></title><description><![CDATA[An agent can keep working while you are elsewhere. That makes the setup the only part you control. Google has confirmed that Gemini accessed three real companies during a cybersecurity exercise designed to use fictional targets. The work happened during testing in May, and the details came out this week. Four questions would have made the difference, and they are the same four worth asking before you hand anything to an AI agent. What actually happenedThe exercise was a capture-the-flag test...]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/gemini-hacked-three-companies-what-that-means-for-anyone-using-ai-agents</link><guid isPermaLink="false">03bbcac1-8672-496d-815a-b75a9c13ae6a</guid><pubDate>Sat, 19 Sep 2026 18:46:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_c8a1efb2bf634874830ab4fae79dc0a1~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why "Human in the Loop" Fails, and Where to Put the Loop Instead]]></title><description><![CDATA[Your review counts when it can still change what happens. Three tests tell you whether yours can. You are the human in the loop. Somewhere in your work, a tool produces something and you approve it before it moves on. The draft arrives, organized and readable, covering what you asked for. You have like eleven minutes before your next call. You read it the way anyone reads something that looks finished — checking whether it holds together rather than whether it is true. You approve it. Nobody...]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/why-human-in-the-loop-fails-and-where-to-put-the-loop-instead</link><guid isPermaLink="false">cace0644-068f-469d-971c-31e245bca3dc</guid><pubDate>Sat, 19 Sep 2026 16:30:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_3e8bacbaaf80467c83cfeb394c04878e~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Spot an Overhyped Science Claim in 30 Seconds]]></title><description><![CDATA[A useful metaphor and a measurement are different things. Here is a thirty-second way to tell them apart. Physics has a reputation for making ordinary life sound more impressive. A cup of tea cools because of thermodynamics. So does a very small computer made of DNA, published in Nature this week. What the researchers actually builtA team at Maynooth University demonstrated a Scaffolded DNA Computer: a molecular computer programmed to solve problems by relaxing toward thermodynamic...]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/how-to-tell-a-useful-idea-from-an-overconfident-claim</link><guid isPermaLink="false">3ef3fb3d-876a-4a79-a1a3-c31f60f541f5</guid><pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2026 22:12:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_265a7a83fe064df3a671c43b5a1da0d9~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Do You Know When an AI Answer Is Wrong? Three Questions to Ask First]]></title><description><![CDATA[A finished-looking answer can hide an unfinished task. Three questions make room for the honest pause. You can tell the difference between an answer and a performance of an answer. It takes about thirty seconds, and it protects the decisions that matter most. The problem with a tidy conclusionAI is very good at turning a vague request into something that looks finished. You ask for a comparison, an explanation, or a recommendation. Back comes a clear answer with headings, details, and a neat...]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/how-do-you-know-when-an-ai-answer-is-wrong-three-questions-to-ask-first</link><guid isPermaLink="false">7ea7cd2c-e9e4-4213-b9c7-2d436dec7d20</guid><pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:58:36 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_b09b6eff6f834474a88e1b02f5a890d1~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Can You Trust AI Recommendations When ChatGPT Has Sponsored Agents?]]></title><description><![CDATA[AI can make searching easier. It should not decide what matters to you. You ask ChatGPT to help plan a trip. It suggests hotels, restaurants, and an itinerary. It may soon also connect you with an agent sponsored by a business that would be happy to help with the booking. OpenAI has begun testing business-sponsored agents in ChatGPT, extending an earlier move toward advertising in the tool. Reuters reports that the company is positioning them as a way for businesses to offer help directly...]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/can-you-trust-ai-recommendations-when-chatgpt-has-sponsored-agents</link><guid isPermaLink="false">d6d2380d-2d37-4bae-8c3c-d80ebcf192af</guid><pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2026 18:17:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_0c1434d88c0e4b0f85acad78963df075~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why New York City Banned AI in Schools Through 8th Grade]]></title><description><![CDATA[A city decided what its children should keep practicing. Nobody is making that decision for you. On September 2, New York City announced the broadest restriction on classroom AI in the country. Understanding why they did it gives you a question worth asking about your own week. What did New York City actually ban?Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels announced a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI for students from 2-K through eighth grade, effective this...]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/nyc-school-ai-ban-what-to-keep-practicing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">892f7521-b4b2-43b8-a3b3-77940ce88e86</guid><pubDate>Tue, 15 Sep 2026 23:59:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_984de51f85cf4e3b9ef0e9d42a2c1b11~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Hobby Is Allowed to Stay "Useless"]]></title><description><![CDATA[You do not have to turn every interest into proof that you are improving. There is a particular kind of question that can drain the pleasure from a hobby before the hobby has even begun: What are you going to do with it? You mention that you have started learning watercolor, baking bread, repairing old radios, or growing herbs on a windowsill. Soon enough, someone asks whether you will sell it, post it, teach it, turn it into a side business, or at least become impressively good at it. The...]]></description><link>https://www.the-focused-human.com/post/a-hobby-is-allowed-to-stay-useless</link><guid isPermaLink="false">761e2c49-3ef3-4baf-8f1b-631177faa128</guid><pubDate>Tue, 15 Sep 2026 17:37:55 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/758162_a2084044a9b5471db2c74f6edc861a19~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item></channel></rss>