With so many things to distract us, with so many people who want us to join then in their little drama, with 70,000 thoughts rattling around in our head... there's a good chance that you'll spend a good part of today doing things that you should not be doing and not doing things that you should.

So, take five minutes - that's all it will take - get a sheet of paper and write as many answers as you can think of to the following question: "What are the things that I should definitely NOT do today... or any day?"

Stop filling your day with nonsense and you'll discover that you've much more time to do what's important.

They say that travel broadens the mind. I had the pleasure of travelling through Dublin last week and observing just how awful so-called normal people behave.

As I checked into my hotel, I was elbowed by an elderly man who was assisting his wife who was walking with a stick. No problems there - those with difficulty getting around always need a helping hand. So, even though he'd 'beaten me' (almost literally) to the Reception Desk, I was more amused than anything else. But, boy, was he rude to the receptionist - the words 'please' or 'thank you' didn't exist in his vocabulary - as was further confirmed when I stepped aside to let them into the elevator. "Where to?" I asked. "Second" he grunted - no please of thank you from him - but his wife made up for him with her graciousness.

Now, there was I thinking he was just rude to strangers - but, in front of me, within the confines of the elevator, he started berating his poor wife: "Why don't you listen to what people are telling you, you stupid woman?" he rasped. "How many times have I told you..." the door pinged, I got out.

Those of you who read this column from time to time will know that this is not the first such 'Normal People' story. This kind of behaviour is rampant. When a psychologist says that we pay no attention to people who have become habitual or routine to us, that's only half the story. You always hurt the one you love...

In the 21st century hi-tech world, your brain is the equivelent of an old-fashioned adding machine - it's operating system is DOS (remember the blinking green dash on a black screen?) and the software it's running is just about able to depict space invaders. Your brain (mine too... everyone's) was refined over a period of nearly two-million years - the 'modern' mind was 'perfected' ten thousand years ago. The last time we got a software upgrade we were running around chasing wild animals for dinner! And our biggest challenge was getting through the day or, as we Irish would say, not waking up dead!

Our 'perfected' brain enabled us survive and thrive. We developed highly-honed psychological skills that enabled us do all our routine stuff on auto-pilot and only pay attention to serious potential threats - like being eaten alive whilst out looking for tonight's dinner. But, what enabled us become the most accomplished species on the planet is now our Achilles heel - being able to get through the day doesn't really match up to the demands of modern living. The fact that we're hardwired to pay attention to nothing routine and only focus on potential threat means this: we cannot focus on attaining our goals, we can only focus on being stressed.

Let me explain. As evolutionary creatures, we are fine-tuned to swiftly react to any potential threat. Best known as the 'fight or flight response' our body and mind go into overdrive in the face of such a threat. Our heart-rate soars, our blood pressure rockets (to ensure that blood and oxygen reach the most needed muscles) and, because we're in real and present danger (and don't need to worry about suffering from indigestion or catching a cold) or digestive and immune systems are put on hold. That's what's got us to where we are... we survived. And that kind of response is spot on for fighting or fleeing from a man-eating (or woman-eating) tiger. But, in the 21st century, it's killing us. The only thing that we're wired to pay attention to is stress.

So, here's your challenge, your one and only challenge. You must overcome two million years of evolution to develop the kind of focus that will enable you become effortlessly happy and successful. But you have evolution itself on your side. Your mind evolved then, it can evolve now. And quicker than you might think. The London Cabbie's brain is restructured by their daily use of "The Knowledge". A professional violinist's brain is rewired by daily practice. A meditator's brain is restructured by regular meditation. Most importantly, the part of the brain that is restructured - and primed for everyday action as a result - is the piece of your brain that you need the most: the centre of executive functions.

In other words, meditation will enable you overcome your one and only challenge. It will enable you take charge of your mind. It will enable you focus... purposefully. And that's all you will need to achieve your goals and objectives - effortlessly.