Stop and pay attention to your mind

Are you in the past or the future?

Research shows that we spend 80% of our waking time either reminiscing about the past or thinking about what we will do in the future. We hardly spend any time paying attention to what is happening right in front of us. People typically tend to spend more time in the past or the future. Either way, both places can evoke negative thoughts and emotions. Perhaps we think about how we could have done things differently. Or we are beating ourselves up about a decision we made, something we said, and ruminate over it for hours. Or we are in the future running through various scenarios of what could be, and many times they can cause a lot of anxiety. The best place to be is in the now. There are no emotions associated with that moment, and it is the only time that we can take action to change something. Our patterned minds do not give us much of an opportunity to be in the present unless we actively train our minds to be there.

One of the most significant benefits of Present Moment Thought involves shaping our minds and senses to enhance sensory perception. Perceiving without being limited by our filters and thoughts can make all the difference in achieving the results we want in our interactions with others, such as negotiations.

At a Women's Leadership Conference presentation, the VP of a prestigious bank revealed that it was not her professional training but a unique ability that swayed the bank to offer her a position in their Senior Leadership team responsible for negotiating deals. This skill was her perceptive abilities, a sixth sense that enabled her to read other people's intentions and thoughts. Call it intuition or a gut feeling. She trained her mind to be fully present, which allowed her to be open, perceive every detail, and read people's energy.

 Sensing and reading the energy of her negotiation partners provides her with deep insights. She doesn't have to make a conscious effort; she focuses her mind on absorbing every little movement, glance, and intonation. Deeper, unconscious levels of her mind are getting engaged, registering facial expressions, the look in the eyes, and body language. She intuitively gains deeper insights, helping her to guide the negotiation.

Operating in the present moment without being distracted by our thinking and internal stories, we can tune in to perceive more information from other people. 

How does that work? 

As we train our ability to be in the present moment, we open channels and remove filters. This allows us to 'sense' at multiple levels and become more in tune with what is happening now. By establishing new cognitive, emotional, and physical connections, we tap into different perception channels that provide us with insights into people. These deeper insights are at a noncognitive level, yet they can provide us with critical guidance. 

In martial arts, the ability to be in the Present Moment provides a huge advantage in sparring: we seem to sense a move while it is still in the realm of thought or just being initiated – you 'see it coming.' That gives us more options and time to respond. Mind you; this whole process is noncognitive. The moment you start involving your cognitive thinking, you are disrupting the flow, and the sensing stops. 

Being in the Present Moment has another benefit. No matter what happens — if you get hit, you don't have any thoughts or feelings distracting your flow. If you stop and start analyzing the situation, you'd be negatively influenced by your emotions and lose your confidence. And you are in your head, slowing down and allow your opponent to take over.

How does this relate to business? Suppose we are stuck in thoughts about the past or the future. In that case, we give away our power and opportunity to act on opportunities that present themselves. The person focusing on the present will seize them.

Excerpts from my book 'An Introduction to Physical Intelligence":

Want to learn more about training your mind to be in the present? Talk to me about learning about the power of your Physical Intelligence to get there.