What is there for you, as a leader?

You know what I mean? Like when I get there – then everything will be all good.

I keep trying to think about when there is here.

As far as I can figure, we’re always here. Right here. Not there. Nowhere else to be.

So isn’t right here really a moment? And conversely, does there ever really exist?

A moment, listening to the cicada, hearing the cars go by, on an October evening in the year 2008. Thinking about here and there. That’s where I am. And I gotta tell you; I hear the cicadas a lot more when I am really here.

So in my mind’s eye, when I’m thinking about the economy, the election, tasks I want to complete, trying to some how inimitably shape my own future (as if I have any control over that) I am thinking about this place called there, and often, this future thinking that I engage in, means I miss the here moments.

Does that happen to you too? Do you often miss the here moments?

Yes, I realize there’s this thing called time. As leaders, we need to be in this place, or we need to be on that call or in a very important meeting. And yet, time passes by whether we’re perfectly still in front of our computers or watching a sunset; or we move from place to place while going from meeting to meeting or climbing a mountain.

No matter how hard we try to focus on either the past or the future, we only ever experience – or anticipate or relive – single moments.

I’m not saying planning or making goals are bad. Not at all. Goals allow leaders to focus for a moment. And take the time, in that single moment to reflect on what they’re doing  and what they’re not doing. Isn’t that what “aha moments” really are? I love to create an intention for where I’m aiming. Instead of wandering aimlessly and being in a sort of mindless reactive mode. So I’m all for making goals.

And yet it’s not some future place where leaders willbe that we can finally put our feet up and say…

“Here I am; now I’m finally exactly where I want to be and everything is perfect.”

Actually, it’s just a slight shift in perspective when we realize we’re always in one single moment. And everything really is perfect.

And especially for leaders, that moment is NOW.