This week’s inspiration comes from a thought-provoking discussion within the MG 100 community. As the ever-insightful Marshall Goldsmith gears up for a new book, he often taps into the collective wisdom of the group by posing thought-provoking questions. This week’s inquiry struck a chord…
What enables you to be present?
To be perfectly honest, being consistently present has been a challenge for me. I admit it, I am future focused. That is not necessarily a bad thing. It keeps me from dwelling in the past (most of the time.)
I am always thinking about what’s next, what do I have to do, what can I be working on rather than being in the moment. This tendency keeps me from being truly present, from being fully immersed in the here and now, which is, ultimately, what we strive for.
My Trick
You may not know, but I started my business while I was pregnant with my first child. I had two incredibly demanding and important “babies”. When you focus on one, you feel you are letting the other down. I am guessing many a working parent have felt this pull. What helped me was a mantra I repeated to myself whenever I felt that pull creep in.
“This is exactly what I’m meant to be doing right now.”
It became a tool to ground me and keep me present, then. And I still use it today. Having been working on this ability for years, I have found there are other things that enable people to stay present.
Three Key Anchors for Presence
The group conversation illuminated three core situations where that feeling of complete focus, of being solely engaged in the present, seems to naturally arise. The anchors that pull us into the current moment are:
- When we are deeply connected to a purpose. True presence emerges when we are working on something we genuinely care about, something that serves a meaningful purpose for ourselves or the organization. For me, it’s that feeling of absolute immersion when I’m on stage, fully present with and giving my energy to whoever is in the audience, be it one person or a thousand.
- When our minds are engaged in solving a problem. The human brain seems inherently wired to enjoy the process of finding solutions. As my designer put it, “Give me a room, give me a budget, and I will make that room gorgeous” It’s the captivating challenge of tackling a problem. This resonates with my own experience, particularly when I’m engrossed in a jigsaw puzzle. While it might not feel driven by a grand purpose, the act of meticulously piecing together the puzzle demands my complete attention.
- When our focus is entirely on another person. This holds especially true in the realm of coaching. When we are fully attentive to the individual before us, listening with unwavering intention to both the spoken and unspoken words, and keenly observing the nuances of their communication – that is the essence of being present with another.
Your Path to Presence
So, as you navigate your day and strive to be present and in the moment, perhaps you can draw upon my old mantra: “This is what I’m meant to be doing right now.” Or maybe one of these new anchors will resonate more deeply: “This is my purpose,” “This is the problem I’m solving,” or “It’s all about this person.” Experiment with these and see what helps you stay grounded in the power of the present moment.
And if you have other mantras that work or things that ground you, please share. I am a work in progress.