What if the same forces that keep a cell alive also hold a self together? We follow Schrödinger’s trail from negative entropy to everyday focus, linking the physics of gradients with the psychology of attention, identity, and meaning. Along the way, we argue that differentiation grants power in space—through refined options, skill, and precise action—while integration grants endurance in time—through coherent values, stable memory, and a through-line that resists distraction. We explore how ...