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There is no end in
sight to the number of things you have to do. And the more of
your
life you add to the mix, the more cosmic becomes the number. And
when numbers get that big, it is helpful to contemplate what Carl
Jung said about number; that it is the common ordering factor between
psyche and matter. So, what if the movements of your attention as you multi-task your way through the day were, also, a complex dance of energies and forces? This is why it is so important to manage your energies as well as your attention, self-talk, and mood. I'd like to introduce you to our systems view of energy-attention management. The process is derived from the common factors that link the martial arts, qi gong, and yoga.  UNFOLDING THE
PROCESS
-5-
In the Flow  We begin where we will end,
in the flow of life and events. However, in this moment, am I headed where I want to go? Am I even awake at the wheel or am I off somewhere else while habit is running the show? -1- Pause in the Midst  Pausing is a special kind of stopping. You “stop” in the midst of the action without stopping the action. If you relaxed the energy required to pause, you would be back in the flow of what you were doing. When pausing in the midst is confused with stopping the action most performance-oriented individuals just keep going. Pausing is the critical first step in energy-attention management. Without pausing, you cannot gain access to your attitude control system nor know what you are actually doing. Pausing between each step, the tortoise wins the race. The impatient hare drops out from poor energy management. Imagine containing passion with patience. -2-
Since we are all familiar with the importance of being in the moment, I
would like to focus on an often-ignored aspect of “here.” I can
be here in the midst of a meeting or conversation. I can be here
in this room or place. I can be here at this phase of a
process. Find Here and Now  And making all these possible is the fact that I am here, in the flesh. Think with your whole body, said, Taisen Deshimaru, a modern Zen Master. The simplest and most effective way we have discovered to find here and now is to remember that you have legs and feet, arms and hands, a spine and head, and you breathe. Our code name for this practice is Centered Presence. -3-
Remember What and Why  All too often we run into the annoying fact that even though it is supposed to, our thinking does not seem to really influence our actions. The main cause for this is very simple. Since we tend not to pause to find here and now, we are operating too far from center for our voice to have authority. Centered, we are excellently positioned to ask ourselves, what do we really want to do and why? Corporations often take time once a year to hold mission and strategy retreats to ask the questions that make a real difference. The more often we do the same the more optimal will be our results. -4-
Re-Shape Attitude  It is ever so tempting to dash off into action the instant you reach a decision. Experience shows that if you can maintain the state of pause a bit longer, you can do something subtle and powerful. This is the brief window where you can consciously re-shape your attitude to best fit your intention and the situation. Quicker and more effective than self-talk is making small shifts in your carriage. Working with balance and shape is the energy side of self-management. -5-
Return to the Flow  Now is the moment you’ve been waiting for, re-engaging the flow of life and events with a clearer sense of purpose and with a more coherent alignment of head, heart, and belly. But before you release the pause, 1. Turn
your attention back to what is going on around you.
2. Reactivate Centered Presence. 3. Fine-tune your Attitude. 4. Stop Stopping. 5. Engage the situation. For the martial artist, this five-stage process is the heart of the stress response process. For the businessperson, this could be called managing your energies via centered and connected multi-tasking. |
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Energy-Attention Management is an
every moment process.
Practice makes perfect.
