End Suffering and Get in the Zone

Experiencing thoughts of impending doom, the fear of AI taking your job, the constant need to keep up, and competing priorities and constant overwhelm can affect your focus, your leadership, and even your health. If you find yourself feeling stuck in this cycle, this article aims to shed light on the underlying causes of suffering and provide practical techniques to regain your focus and enhance your effectiveness.

Understanding the Source of Suffering

Our stories are the source of our suffering, not the circumstance. Suffering arises when we lose control over our minds and start to believe the little voice in the head telling us stories that challenge our confidence. Our minds, by nature, tend to fixate on problems and ruminate. When you delve into the past, dwelling on past failures, regrets, and missed opportunities, you get caught in a negative loop of mental and emotional drama. The mental drama may sound familiar: "If only I had completed my master's degree. I lack support. I made the wrong choice in partnership. I felt so foolish during that board meeting."

The stories we tell ourselves about the future can also be a source of great anxiety. Our minds conjure up scenarios like, "What if my job ends because of artificial intelligence? What if I'm too old to learn quickly? Are my current skills and education irrelevant? I'm not equipped for this new reality."

Finding Your Zone

Enough is enough! It's time to regain control over the restless monkey mind. While physical exercise and meditation are both beneficial, here's a mental technique that offers immediate relief: Enter the Zone.

Imagine a number line ranging from negative ten to positive ten. Zero represents the present moment, while negative ten symbolizes the past, and positive ten represents the future.

Your goal is to reside between negative two and positive two. Utilize the past solely for learning purposes, swiftly return to zero, and take the next appropriate step forward. Allow yourself a moment of forward-focused planning and projection, and then swiftly return to zero and proceed with the next task. With time, you will feel a sense of regained control.

In the words of the spiritual leader Eckhart Tolle, suffering cannot exist without time. The past is merely an aspect of our identity, while the future is an illusion. The true power lies in the present moment. By narrowing the temporal gap and living in the zone, suffering dissipates, and life becomes fulfilling and productive.

In conclusion, the burden of anxiety and its detrimental effects on leadership effectiveness can be overcome. By recognizing the patterns of our restless minds and implementing strategies to refocus, we can regain control and thrive in the present. Embracing the power of the present moment enables us to alleviate suffering and unlock our full potential as leaders.

Marlene Chism is a consultant, international speaker and the author several books including her latest,?From Conflict to Courage ?(Berrett Koehler 2022).Visit the web at?www.marlenechism.com? and get a free download on 7 Disruptive Relationships.