Tag: #peakperformance

The human mind bends to the negative. If there is a problem or challenge, there is a tendency to see everything that is wrong, bad, or unwanted. And, even if things are going well, the tendency toward aversion can still prevail.  This causes unnecessary suffering. Mindfulness provides not only focus in the present moment but also encourages attitudes of non-judgment, acceptance and enjoyment. Realizing the good, the gifts (if you will) in front of you, brings forth gratitude. And gratitude ensures greater success at home or work because you are happier! Where can you focus on the good in your world today?

Take time today to kick back and enjoy a good laugh! An integral part of mindfulness is learning to lighten-up. You can take everything too seriously. Leaning back from the noise gives you perspective. Not everything is life or death! In fact, most tasks and events aren’t. When you laugh at the absurdities of life, you feel physically better and have a clearer mind. Enjoy some levity today!

Better results come from a clear mind and a calm body. When both the mind and the body are relaxed, you generally get better results. Insert several, brief, 1-minute pauses throughout your day and notice the effect on your performance!

The Johari Window, conceptualized in 1955, is a uselful tool when one is working on growing in their self-awareness. This is a foundational element in peak performance. The key is to reduce blind spots about oneself. This requires reflection, contemplation, and often times, a good executive or life coach!

The Johari Window also helps us to have better relationships, the key in all functions of business, whether you are in sales, hospitality, or healthcare. Take a look at the sections. There are things known to both us and others. There are things that others don’t know about us. There are things about us that neither others nor we know about ourselves. But the one area of perhaps greatest concern is what others know about us, but we don’t know about ourselves! This area represents our blind spots. In Mindfulness, we teach beginner’s mind- being open and curious about ourselves and others. This flexibility in our perceptions allow positive growth and the reduction of suffering. Whether in personal relationships or organizational dynamics, Mindfulness can be an ally for greater peak performance and success, or what we like to call Mindful Performance. As executive coaches and life coaches, we have seen this simple tool help people tremendously in the personal growth and professional development.

Without focus, the mind slips into Default Mode Network (DMN). This is a wandering default state that the mind automatically reverts to, otherwise known as “monkey mind.” In meditation, the challenge is to move away from monkey mind to concentration and focus. This leads to a states of calm and clarity.

In a dramatic demonstration of how meditation affects the brain, researchers from the University of Oslo and the University of Sydney determined how the brain works during meditation. Notice the MRI image to left in DMN (wandering, unfocused mind) vs. the focused mind in meditation. The orange, yellow and green areas represent varying levels of brain activity and waves of intensity.  The blue regions represent less activity and intensity (calm waves). Quite a demonstrative contrast! These images show how the meditative mind is calm and focused after just 10 minutes of meditation! Can you carve out just 10 minutes a day for more mindful performance at work and home?