Miami Room with a View
Last week, I spent time with my professional mentor Alan Weiss and my mastermind group in Miami. One of the topics we discussed was working on keeping your mind in the moment. If you’re like me, that’s easier said than done. Keeping focused on the thing you are doing without getting distracted is critical to crucial conversations, presentations, and relationships.
As I was flying back on Sunday, I tried something to practice. Allow me to share with you…
I was listening to my music and I decided to “be in the moment” while listening. Instead of allowing my mind to wander and daydream, I decided to focus on the music (by the way I was listening to Bruce Springsteen’s Glory Days, for what it’s worth). I focused on the back beat. It’s easy to just listen to the lyrics, but there’s a back beat to all music. I simply kept my mind on the back beat and tried to really feel it. It was excellent practice.
When you’re in a business or personal conversation; when you’re speaking publicly to a group; or when you are simply trying to get work done, you need to listen to the back beat. You need to be so focused on what is happening in the moment, that other things don’t distract you. Turn off distraction (e.g. emails); tune out extraneous items (e.g. stuff on your desk); and feel the experience you are in at that moment (e.g. speaking).
This is a skill. For some people, it might be easier than for others. For me, it’s a skill I need to develop (although my wife says I’m excellent at it when watching football on TV). I am using my new practice tool of music. Find something to train your brain. Being in the moment will improve every moment you have.
© 2014 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved
