The more we practice a routine, the more the basal ganglia take it over from other parts of the brain. The bottom/top systems distribute mental tasks between them so we can make minimal effort and get optimal results. As familiarity makes a routine easier, it gets passed off from the top to the bottom. The way we experience this neural transfer is that we need pay less attention—and finally none—as it becomes automatic.
— Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence (Daniel Goleman), Loc. 397–400