Turning the Focus Outward
A couple of years ago, one of my mentors told me and a group of fellow leaders, “whenever you’re feeling stuck, turn your attention outward and create from what’s out there.” This statement has stayed with me, obviously. Today, it seems to be making itself heard yet again. I’m not sure why. I’m not feeling particularly stuck — I’m actually motoring along and accomplishing a whole lot. I am, however, noticing an uneasiness in my gut. Not sure what it’s about at all which, of course, is heightening the uneasiness. And my tendency is to try and figure out the whys and wherefores thereof.
What I’m realizing as the uneasiness continues to build is that I absolutely could keep trying to figure it out. I’ve got a story that says if I figure out what’s causing the uneasiness, I can address the causal factor and move on more efficiently. This may in fact be the way to go. There’s a bigger something, however, that’s telling me to stop focusing on me, and start looking outside of myself. Not for an answer to what ails me, but rather to address whatever needs exist outside of myself.
You see, leadership requires one to engage in a delicate balance of being aware of internal needs and external needs simultaneously. What I’m realizing is that sometimes, when keeping the focus on one area isn’t leading to a solution, it might actually be beneficial to turn the focus onto another area and address what needs addressing out there. This isn’t about going through life with blinders on, or ignoring very real needs. Instead, this is about providing space where it’s needed, allowing supposed issues to simmer and either evaporate or crystalize before attempting to implement a solution that may not actually fit. After all, a solution that doesn’t fit just ends up being just another problem, you know?
Bottom-line: sometimes you just need a fresh perspective. And sometimes, that perspective is most easily accessed when you deliberately turn your focus away from whatever problem is at hand. It’s very much akin to what Albert Einstein once said: “problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.” If you want to solve a problem or resolve an issue, you’ve got to move your thinking to a new level. And sometimes, that means turning your focus outward.
The Answers are in The Stillness
This is what I’m being reminded of at this point in my life. The idea of stillness is not a new idea, by any stretch of the imagination. And yet, I feel like I’m being called to remember — and in turn to remind those around me — that sometimes, the answers you seek, the completion you long for, the solutions that seem so elusive are in fact present…in the stillness.
You see, one of the things that it’s so easy to give in to is the “busy-ness” of the world around you. Things are moving at lightening speed and, in fact, movement seems to be the comfort-zone that our world knows these days. The idea of sitting still and just settling into the space of stillness appears to be a foreign notion, a radical concept. And yet, there is magic that happens in the space of stillness that simply can’t happen in the space of continual movement.
Am I saying that movement shouldn’t happen? No, definitely not. What I am saying, however, based on my recent noticings and rememberings is that there really is merit in allowing yourself to buffer the constant movement of your life with a period or two of complete stillness. Let your body be still; let your brain be still; let the world around you come to stillness and notice what shows up in that space. There really is a purity and serenity that simply cannot be found anywhere else. And in this pure, serene, magical experience lie the answers you seek, more often than not.
What I know for sure is this: just because the world is a busy place does not mean that you have to deprive yourself of the gift of stillness. In fact, when you deny the stillness, you also deny the answers you’re looking for. If there’s a problem your grappling with, stop grappling and seek the place of stillness — the solution lies in that space.