10 Reasons to Invest in the Moment
by Martin Boroson
Invest in the moment?
Yes, that might seem paradoxical.
Investment is intended to build something over time, but moments are fleeting. Investment is intended to yield growth in the future, but this moment is always right now.
By “invest in the moment,” however, what I mean is simply this: you have decided to develop your own ability to be more present in this moment, right now. This could be the smartest business decision you will ever make.
Whether you lead a Fortune 100 company or you simply want to lead yourself toward greater happiness and prosperity, investing in the moment pays enormous dividends: you get the keys to commanding your most valuable asset—your own state of mind.
The traditional methods of training people to become more present in the moment, however, are not so easily mapped to the goals of leaders, however.
Meditation training, for example, traditionally took place in isolated retreat environments designed to help people disengage from worldly concerns and sink deeply into quiet contemplation. Leadership, on the other hand, suggests almost the opposite: engagement, practical concerns, worldliness, and dynamic action.
Traditional teachers of meditation also did not consider how being present in the moment could boost innovation; making new products, discovering new patents, and solving complex organizational problems were simply not their main concern.
But meditation training–at least in some forms–can have powerful benefits for the achievement of many real-world goals: improved teamwork, problem-solving, decision-making, and innovation. Indeed, the benefits of meditation training for are so great that it should be offered on every leadership program and business school curriculum, and taught in every boardroom.
The purpose of this series of ten articles, therefore, is to show how you can benefit practically from investing in the moment—or in other words, how you can employ meditation and mindfulness to boost your performance as a leader and visionary.
The first few articles start with the basics—showing you how investing in the moment can help you “get a grip” on your own state of mind—helping you reduce stress, calm down, and improve focus.
As your ability to be present in the moment deepens, however, higher potentials and talents unfold, for as you clear space in your mind, your mind naturally becomes more fertile ground for new ideas. You develop better mental flexibility and agility, giving you enhanced problem-solving and visionary thinking skills.
As we go deeper, I will show you how the ability to be present in the moment is absolutely essential for innovation. Stay tuned, as this will be the most radical step—going way beyond conventional teaching about meditation and mindfulness. (To whet your appetite, consider the word moment itself: it gives us the word momentous. In other words, every moment has the potential to be momentous–but it sure helps if you are awake enough to spot its potential.)
The final article in this series will show you how investing in the moment is also essential if you want to liberate momentum–in yourself, your team, or your entire company.
Imagine what your days would be like if you–and the people you work with–could be more “in the moment”?
When you are in the moment, you are awake, relaxed, flexible, and very alive. You are ready for anything. And you are ready to respond to the enormous opportunity being offered to you right now.
With that overview, here are my top ten reasons why smart leaders invest in the moment …
1. Get Real
2. Create Calm
3. Cultivate Presence
4. Pay Attention
5. Stay Current
6. Be Resilient
7. Find Solutions
8. See Opportunity
9. Develop Possibilities
10. Unleash Momentum