I just finished a very interesting book – The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.
I understood about 65% of it and probably disagreed with a quarter of the information I could understand.
However, I would recommend this book and here’s why.
I begin every workshop or seminar with an overview of the importance of living in the present. I argue that there is nothing the participants should do for the remainder of my talk but listen, participate and take notes. The will have wasted their time with me if they chose to check email, the internet or text their friends during my presentation.
Tolle’s book expands upon this concept in a way that really drove home the point for me.
He argues that all we really have is this moment and that it is within the Now where we find all of our peace and contentment.
Tolle points out that all of our stress, fear and anxiety come from over analyzing the past or worrying about the future stating that – “To be identified with your mind is to be trapped in time: the compulsion to live almost exclusively through memory and anticipation.”
In other words, no matter what you have achieved or hope to achieve will ever mean anything unless you learn to enjoy the moment or the Now.
This has huge implications in business and I have a story that illustrates the issue perfectly.
Recently, I recommended a website called www.Yelp.com to a group of successful professionals that I coach bi-weekly. They pay for my coaching individually and I am not cheap. This was a 90 minute meeting with no breaks.
At the end of the meeting one of the participants enthusiastically proclaimed – “CJ is right! Yelp.com is a great website. It’s easy to use and I can see why it will be helpful to my business! Thanks CJ for the recommendation!”
After a brief pause (for dramatic purposes – I am a professional) I asked – “How would you know anything about this website considering the fact that we have been sitting in this room together for the last 90 minutes.”
“Sorry” she uttered sheepishly.
“Don’t apologize to me – apologize to yourself.” I replied. “This is your meeting that you paid for with your money. If you don’t focus exclusively on the meeting you won’t get the same value as the others.”
I hope she learned her lesson, but I doubt it.
We are under the impression that the only value in our current moment (the Now) is to prepare for the next moment. “Something better is just around the corner” we constantly tell ourselves.
I have a newsflash for you – something better isn’t just around the corner – it’s right here and you can experience it if you choose to live in the Now.
CJ McClanahan
reachmore
(317) 576-8492
www.goreachmore.com
Tags: coaching, Eckhart Tolle, Now