On Your Marks… Get Set… Go!

By Ashok Iyer

Every athlete has heard this clarion call that comes before the start of a race. Just before the point of ultimate action (the ‘Go!), they are called to focus deeply into a moment of self-awareness, where they take stock of their own self and prepare to take off.

This moment of time is not peculiar to sportspersons alone. Once a speaker asked his audience, “What is the first act of a newborn baby?” The audience replied, “The baby cries, of course.” “No,” said the Speaker, “The baby’s first act is to pause, before inhaling.”

The Speaker went on to explain that in the mother’s womb, a newborn baby is surrounded by amniotic fluid but upon birth, the baby enters a new environment where it must breathe on its own. At this point of absolute change, a newborn baby pauses to register the new environment, then it adapts to it, and then it acts— inhales and then lets out a cry! This is the providential gift of Embedded Intelligence or EI.

The Power of the PAUSE to Activate Embedded Intelligence

A pause is essential no matter who you are—whether an athlete in competition or a newborn baby, breathing air for the first time. Life is constantly changing.? As we become adults, we are bound to face challenges from time to time, some that may even appear insurmountable.?

Just as a runner pauses before the sprint, or the newborn baby pauses to adjust to a humongous shift from a fluidic environment to one comprising air, a PAUSE is advisable at each stage of change.?

A PAUSE is a conscious decision to assess, reflect, to become self-aware and present in the “NOW.” To focus attention and energy on the present situation with a calm demeanour.?

A pause is a metaphor for slowing down and refraining from reacting to the new circumstance.

A Mind That Pauses

The Mind is a virtual space. It creates thoughts, that further create perceptions and judgements. Our organs and all the physical systems, along with our five senses send inputs to our Mind to create thoughts.?

Thoughts in the Mind drive emotions that can induce the person to take actions. Our mind governs our behaviour, as perceived by others. Or simply said, our Mind is the entity that controls us.?

The Truth About Thoughts

Thoughts can be grouped based on their attributes into –

Desire Mind, Feeling Mind, Analytical Mind, Rule mind and Goal mind. For instance, the goal mind focuses on goals, either self-related or for the larger good of the community. Rule mind draws upon learnings from the past, such as values, beliefs, etc. Some minds like Feeling mind are bi-polar, i.e. we feel sad or happy/ good or bad, energetic or tired. When inputs from the senses mix with a combination of dominant minds, in the moment, actions or behaviours arise.??

The Choice-Making Mind

My desire to acquire a BMW makes me work hard to achieve that bonus, which will fulfil my dream. I can drive my team as a consequence and I have a choice- to become a slave driver or a good leader. I can either make them feel exhausted or inspire them. Which approach is more certain to succeed?

All of us make choices daily. These are the creation of the Choice making Mind (CMM).

Arrogance, compassion, overthinking, intuition, micromanaging, confidence, joy, sorrow, fear courage are the creations of the mind.

Attention Is the Basis of Our Choice

Ancient yogic wisdom states that attention, thought and breath are all connected to physical and emotional health. Attention management is centred around breathing and stretching and relaxing techniques. Pause is an important constituent.

When to pause, how to pause, and how long to pause are the choices we can make. Humans have over the ages discovered meditation, yoga nidra, pranayama, vipassana to name a few.?

The Power Of Cognitive Attention Management?

World-renowned researchers have acknowledged the power of adoption of the techniques to pause, improve our ability to focus on goals and expend good energy to fulfil our choices. In doing so, the heartbeat reduces; quality of breathing improves (slower and deeper). This in turn influences the nervous and endocrine system. Yogic exercises stretch muscles thereby soothing and relaxing them. This further improves health and well-being. Time saved by remaining physically and mentally fit also improves productivity.

Our success rate in terms of achieving our goals— be it prosperity, joy, health, mental wellness or overcoming anxiety and stress, anger or fear— depends on our ability to focus our energy on our goals.?

Cognitive Attention is the key. It encompasses a mind curious to learn and provide solutions, rather than be merely overwhelmed by problems.?

Ego Attention vs. Observer Attention

Sustenance of our attention and energy comes about when we recognise that attention can be of two types-EGO and OBSERVER. The ego implies I, me and mine. Our desires are self-centric. Observer attention is laced with empathy as we stand in the place of others and look at the larger dimension from others’ points of view.?

The attention and energy thus seek the wellbeing of others, vis family, team, community. Solutions impact a larger set of people, which is a true measure of a leader.

In summary, life is a system-based process involving multiple contributors. The mind controls us unless we decide to control it. This can happen when we seek our goals with curiosity, excellence and service. Attention and committed energy result in carving a sustainable process which is solution-centric.