THE ART OF THE PAUSE

In a world that seems to be moving a hyper-speed, the art of the pause has become complicated. Pardon me for going to sports analogy for a moment, but I want to call specific attention to one of the greatest golfers fo all time, Tiger Woods, not for his life on and off the course, but for his unique ability to stop a swing before he makes contact. If you have ever played golf, you know how difficult this is. Commentators and experts alike call this move nearly impossible and something that requires a tremendous amount of strength. The backswing starts and then suddenly something doesn’t seem right, look right, sound right, but yet we continue the swing, attempting to hit the ball, only to wish we would have stopped and reset. The resulting shot is usually errant or less than what it could have been, given the rushed shot and the lack of ability or fortitude to pause and reset. 

How does this apply in our daily life? Quite simply, we rush things. We rush an outcome, we force an opinion, we cast quick judgement, or we say something we wish we could take back. We press forward with so much momentum that it’s nearly impossible to stop. Our head and heart are set in active motion. These paths are all optional, yet seem difficult at times to control the pace and outcome. I’ve spoken before on the mental impact of the swipe economy and our consumption of information at a rapid pace. My theory is that we are absorbed in the chase, and so quick move to the next thing, that we have forgotten where we are or even why we exist in any given moment. We’ve become habituated and thus numb to, and unaware of our own actions.  

What if we went into each segment of our day with more intention and a deeper clarity around the outcomes we desire in our life? 

What if we could learn to hold off just a few moments longer, to be party to a greater impact and less volatile result?  

What if we could become much better listeners and more patient, before we speak or take action?

What if in our need to control, we could actually develop the skill to PAUSE, reset, and release our bias driven momentum that we’ve given way to in the past?

Each of these questions present an opportunity for each of us to simply slow down. They give us an opening for future action that is inconsistent with our actions of the past where we could have made a more calculated choice; un-rushed, unbiased, and at a more effective pace. 

When you read studies about Tiger’s swing and listen to what his swing coaches tell us about each component, you’ll find a consistent observation; he builds in a split-second pause into his swing the top, as a go or no-go point to continue in momentum, or to stop and reset. We can do the same. We can build into our decision routines an intentional PAUSE. We can develop an internal operating rhythm that honors who we are trying to become, and that will allow for us to be a bit more patient and un-tethered to immediacy. The conscious choice and practice to assume innocence, is another system for productive PAUSE. Applying the acronym W.A.I.T., which stands for “why am I talking?,” again provides a level of insight and decision before acting out of self interest or reaction. 

My challenge for you this week is to consider how a “PAUSE practice” might benefit you and those you love and serve. Consider the intentionality and practice that will be required of you to have that practice be a strength and marked characteristic of your own personal operating system. Consider as well, where PAUSE might actually open up new levels of understanding and more productive listening channels, when we learn to lay down our immediate need to say or act. 

Remember that growth is always a choice.

Until next week my friends, make it a great one, and remember to always...HONOR.THE.GIFT.