Category Archives: Attention

“Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure…”

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“Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.”

– Mary Jean Irion, Pennsylvania Teacher and Writer

Photo from Flickr by Jan

Photo from Flickr by Jan

Have you ever sat in front of your TV, eating chips or another favorite snack, only to find your fingers at the bottom of an empty bag, searching for more, and wondering how you could have possibly eaten your way through all those treats?

Just like food we consume mindlessly, our days, months, and years sometimes fly by unnoticed, because we think there’s plenty more “in the bag,” or simply because we do not cherish each moment as a precious gift.

EXERCISE:

If you knew your days were numbered (which they are) how would you spend this “normal day”?

“It’s easy to get people’s attention; what counts is getting their interest.”

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“It’s easy to get people’s attention; what counts is getting their interest.”

-Philip Randolph, Civil Rights Activist

Photo from Flickr by Kathleen Donovan

Photo from Flickr by Kathleen Donovan

If you haven’t been sleeping the past few years, you, too, have experienced an onslaught of technological, attention-and-interest grabbing resources, such as:

  • Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn
  • Mobile Apps
  • Skype, Facetime
  • YouTube, Video Games, Satellite or Cable TV
  • Blogs, email

Observe people in any mall, shopping center, or restaurant, and notice what percent are heads-down, looking at their smartphones.

What percentage of these attention-grabbing pursuits also engage people’s sincere interest and make some meaningful contributions?

EXERCISE

Given that the speed and amount of attention-grabbing choices will increase dramatically in the years ahead, what strategies have you found useful to sort through the abundance of options, to find and select the items that are of interest to you in your professional and personal lives?

Please reply to this post with your most helpful strategies.

“The most precious gift we can give anyone is our attention. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”

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“The most precious gift we can give anyone is our attention. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”

– Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk

514Image from Flickr by Uli Emmanuel.

When I am coaching, I strongly believe that my clients deserve my complete attention. They become the center of the universe around which our discussions revolve. How often do you get or give such a level of focus when you’re with your family, friends and colleagues?

Unfortunately, we are all often distracted to some degree by the deluge of information and interruptions that find their way into our world.

Exercise:

Whether you are engaged in a coaching session, a performance review, a staff meeting or simply a discussion with a friend or family member, how will you be even more mindful to give others the gift of your fullest attention?

Pay particular note to how this effort brings forth even more of their greatest capacities and qualities.

The Seeds You Plant

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“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.”

– Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottish novelist and poet

image from Flickr by Andrew Shieh

image from Flickr by Andrew Shieh

Harvest time is only a small part of the growing season. My wife and I grew tomatoes last summer, and really enjoyed harvesting them at the end of August.

The process of growing them, though, was a bit more involved and time consuming than we expected. It included purchasing seeds, preparing the soil, watering, providing sunlight, adding plant food, watering, adding more plant food, more watering… you get the idea!

Exercise:

What seeds can you plant today? What care and attention will they need daily, so that you can have a successful harvest in the future?

Make sure you enjoy the process of gardening and not just the sweet fruits of life.