Field notes: The cost of attention without belief

It has never been easier to generate attention.

A post can travel widely within hours.
Impressions rise.
Engagement ticks upward.

On the surface, it looks like progress.

Dashboards move.
Teams feel momentum.
It feels like we’re moving ahead.

But attention and progress are not the same thing. Progress only counts when it changes behaviour.

Before someone clicks further, submits a form, makes an enquiry, or buys, an internal decision takes place:

Does this make sense?
Does this feel coherent?
Am I comfortable proceeding?

If that internal check doesn’t resolve, attention doesn’t convert. It dissipates.

The cost isn’t only media spend.

It’s mistaking visibility for traction.
It’s reporting movement where there is no shift.
It’s doubling down on amplification while the underlying narrative remains unclear.

Awareness numbers are comforting because they are large and they move.
But they don’t tell you whether anyone is ready to take the next step.

Attention can signal progress.

Belief determines it.

The real question isn’t how far something travels.

It’s this:

When attention lands, what makes someone take the next step?