Getting present in the moment

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This month’s blog is inspired by an experiment in 2014 where Joshua Bell, the virtuoso violinist, played beautifully for 43 minutes in a Washington DC Metro station during the 8am rush hour. He was incognito and played pieces not likely to be recognized.

Virtually no one stopped to listen.

What a gift it might have been to stop and listen, what a difference it might have made, if anyone had noticed. Maybe a politician would have later changed their vote. Maybe someone would have looked up from their smartphone, or pulled off their earbuds, for a moment. Maybe a crowd would have built up further annoying other already grumpy commuters.

For certain, someone would have been inspired and have a little less stress.

Stopping to listen is being present in the moment. It's about getting out of your mind and thoughts and into your body and sensations, paying close attention to what’s going on around you.

  • Like taking a moment to immerse yourself in a sunset. It can clear your head and make room for your intuition, for making a better decision.

  • Like taking a moment to savor the flavor and aroma of the first few sips of your first cup of coffee or tea, and notice the sense of alertness that follows. It can set a positive mood for the entire day.

  • Like taking a moment to enjoy the pattern of the sunlight on your desk and surroundings when working at home late in the afternoon. It can give you the energy boost to get you through the rest of the day.

  • Like taking a moment to appreciate the collection of Star Wars figurines on the shelf above your lead engineer's workstation. It can open a connection that leads to a more productive conversation with them.

The lesson: when you awaken your awareness and get present "in" the moment, you experience the gift, or the present, "of" the moment.

Read the Washington Post article on the Joshua Bell experiment. It's worth the few minutes it will take.

Getting present in the moment is one of the practices I coach, especially (but not exclusively) for mid-level high-tech leaders. If you are feeling inspired to build, reestablish, or further develop these and other leadership practices and get happy, again, check out my Energy and Mindset Reboot Program. Click here to find out what it can do for you in a free 30-minute Discovery Session.

 

A happy man is too satisfied with the present to dwell too much on the future. -- Albert Einstein

 

This blog was adapted from my newsletter sent October 4, 2022.