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“The present moment is the only moment available to us, and it is the door to all moments.”
– Thich Nhat Hanh
“Before I met you, I never tasted my morning coffee.”
So said a client, a busy leader who was very focused on squeeing the maximum out of each hour in a day.
“When I took my morning break, I’d walk down the road from my office to a small street cafe for a coffee but on the way I’d challenge myself to get as many phone calls in as possible. I usually never made eye contact with the barista, never noticed anyone around me and never actually tasted the coffee! I’d return to the office more stressed than when I left.”
The result of this approach? Returning to the office more stressed than when they left.
Over time, they realised that this compulsive busyness wasn’t just hindering their productivity—it was robbing them of peace of mind. Compulsive thinking, amplified by digital devices, can wreak havoc on both business and life.
A simple yet powerful antidote? Embrace the present moment.
By tuning into your senses—what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell—you can calm your mind and bring yourself into the now. I call this phenomenon The SnowGlobe Effect, which I explore in more detail in my book, The Inner CEO.
Take my client, for example.
“Now when I take my break, I feel more present. I notice the world around me as I walk down the street. I engage with the barista, and I savour every sip of my coffee. And when I return to the office, my energy levels are higher.”
This week’s challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to incorporate some mental pit stops into your day. Take deliberate moments to step out of the busy thinking and deliberately appreciate the present, noticing the details of the world around you.
Warm regards,
Shane
PS – Want to learn more about calming your mind and boosting productivity? Access a short PDF and video about The SnowGlobe Effect and a powerful tool called SHiFTS I teach my clients here.
The Inner Edge Podcast: Short, bite-sized nuggets of 10-12 minutes, designed to give you motivation and plenty of inspirational food for thought. Listen on my website here or on all major podcasting platforms.
This week’s episode, Ep 168: Tight Thinking
The Inner CEO: My new best-selling book is available in 4 formats – kindle, paperback, hardback and audible. Check it out here.
