Conquering The Mind

Conquering The Mind in 2019

It's that time of year again as we enter a new year and we lay our goals, ambitions and plans heading into the near future with a new sense of energy and focus. I love this time of the year but I'm also conscious that it's not just the goal or plan that's needed to succeed, but the process and mindset shift that needs to happen in order to make it work. For me, conquering the mind from itself is the greatest success story out there and something that has tangible benefits to you in your work and personal lives. The people who have understood this are the most successful people I know and I believe it boils down to 3 areas of focus:

• Understanding the value of time
• Being present to the moment
• Increasing your self awareness and empathy 

Time
Time is a resource that everyone has but not everyone understands. I first really understood this concept when I was first diagnosed with cancer 5 years ago and most recently with the passing of my father. Unfortunately it usually takes a major life event for someone to realize the value of time. No matter how rich, privileged, lucky, smart or wise you are, we all have the same amount of it. You can’t buy more of it, you can’t hold onto it and it happens at the same speed and pace for everyone. You can't save it, but you can lose it, and usually before you even realized you had it.  Time is the most valuable resource today and the richest person in the world is the one who truly understands this. So as we head into 2019 with yearly planning, remember to not take for granted the element of time and to not assume you can tackle that initiative in the Spring, have that conversation with your direct report in the Summer or take that new course in the Fall.  


Being Present
We are busier than we've ever been before. We get bombarded with distractions, emails, likes, beeps, ads, calls from every angle possible. Even while you're reading this some of you are thinking of things you need to do at work, a distraction in your environment or a thought into the future. The brain is on overdrive and it all comes with a cost of not being present to the moment.  Whether this is listening intently to your team member talk about their last sales call, or listening to your kids recap the day...

being present in the moment is the 'why' in which we do anything

Let's not skip these moments that help define us. The positive impact of being present is far greater to the other person than you think. 

Increasing your self awareness and empathy 
Hand in hand with being present is being self aware and empathetic to the people around you. Like Ellen says, 'be kind to one another' and try to understand their 'hidden story' at work and at home. How did that last meeting go? How did that last performance review sit with your direct report. Are your actions helping or hurting the company's Wildly Important Goals (WIGS)? Are you doing what you love to do and are you doing things intently and wholeheartedly? Know yourself and be genuine and true to yourself when you're with others. When you're not being authentic, people will know and will act accordingly. You only have one life, let's live it honestly. And lastly, the old saying still holds true to this day...'Treat others the way you'd like to be treated'. 

So, conquering my mind is my goal for 2019 and now I have to work on the daily processes that will help me get there. Maintaining my daily journal, experimenting with meditation and practicing empathetic listening are things that come to my mind. Any other suggestions?