19 Minute Meditation: Optimize Your Mind for Authentic, Peak Performance Leadership
Christopher Babson - Leadership and Peak Performance Training
UCLA Adjunct Leadership Professor. Leadership & Peak Performance Coach in Corporate Markets.
In our crazy-busy lives, one of the most difficult choices we can make is to just stop. Stop... and do absolutely nothing, but simply "be" for a minute. Doing this for only a minute is tough. If you've never tried it, try it now and you'll see. Just sit there for sixty seconds and keep your focus on your breath and only your breath.
So, do you think 19 minutes might seem totally out of the question?
But if we take time each day to purposefully calm and center our minds, studies from top research institutions, such as Harvard and Stanford, to name two, prove the value to our mental, physical and emotional health. We also improve our ability to focus and perform at higher levels, as presence is a key component of peak performance. Meditation is the best way of practicing presence.
Meditation is Also a Powerful Leadership Tool
You've probably heard about the importance of being "authentic" in leadership? Heck, being authentic is important in all relationships, wouldn't you agree? Authenticity is integral to building trust, rapport and respect in all roles we take on.
Well, we can't be present and not be authentic. Being present includes being true to who we are and to the present moment. This is really important, so I'm going to repeat it: we can't be present and not be authentic. And authenticity is crucial to leadership and every other important role and relationship in our lives.
Meditation is a proven tool to increase our mental, emotional and physical health. A tool that also allows us to practice and improve our ability to remain both present and authentic.
Click the image below for a 19 minute, guided meditation.
Architect at UK Ministry of Defence
6 年Parsing the statement "We can't remain present and not be authentic", I have to question the intended denotation of 'authentic', or perhaps of its property form, 'authenticity'. To possess authenticity is generally taken as to possess the quality of being 'real' or 'true'. ?To say of an individual that they are or are not 'true' is (outside of the context of romantic poetry) nonsensical, so take it as meaning 'real'. I see no reason why 'presence' (the property of being in a location, where location may be physical, or defined in terms of a company or group) should have any connection with that of being real. When I attend mass on Sundays, I assent to the proposition that the Holy Spirit is present among us at all times. ?Is the Holy Spirit authentic, or real? ?I would say yes, but atheists, agnostics, non-christians and others would very likely so no. ?It follows that the truth of your assertion is not a priori, or even necessary. Its truth is contingent, depending on context and speaker. Ergo, as a universal assertion, "We can't remain present an not be authentic" is untrue. ?Not to mention, trite.
Interesting and some things crossed my mind. On question relates you your saying "simply "be" for a minute". I could just sit for a minute and concentrate on my breath for a minute, but just be concentrating on my breath for a minute. What is the difference between concentrating on my breath and simply being? I could sit an focus on a painting on the wall and only the painting. Do you have to concentrate on breathing to be meditative?
Connector of Dots | Human Experience Enthusiast | Purposeful Collaborator | Success Coach and Facilitator | Continuous Improvement Champion | Sr. HR Training Specialist | Marine Corp Veteran
6 年Organic fertilizer for the soul, Christopher. Thank you!