Are you present or are you thinking?
Presence means the absence of thinking. Be present, not thinking. Be present in the now, enjoying the now.
Thought is an addiction. Practicing mindfulness at work is a core discipline that separates average managers from true corporate leaders.
When thoughts come, remember a simple mantra: “Let it go, let it go, let it go.” Come back to your present moment.
So when thoughts come to you remember, thinking is the opposite of presence. Thoughts mean you are no longer present. Building this type of deep focus is exactly how you establish genuine executive presence in high-stakes environments.
So in the meeting when a random thought about tomorrow or lunch or the news comes, remind yourself to come back to the present moment: the meeting.
When you are with your partner and your phone pings, bringing you a message from an old friend and your thoughts go there, remember you are no longer present. Come back to the present moment with your partner and look into their eyes.
Thinking and presence are the opposite. Presence is powerful.
Every time a thought appears, come back to the present moment. To learn how to master this focus and unlock peak performance, explore the executive frameworks in my book, 10X Productive Leader.