What If Now Is What?
Have you ever been in a meeting where, just as it’s finishing, someone pipes up, “Ok, so now what?” It happens quite often, right? I recall many times where I ended up, after attending a meeting, not having the slightest clue of what was decided. There’s a school of thought that says that a meeting without a clear and actionable decision is a wasted meeting. There’s something about the follow-up or next step that implies progress. We’re moving forward. Of course, in a business context, the “so what?” or “now what?” question is entirely legitimate. But, what if, in our daily lives, the answer were more frequently: now is what.
We seem to be programmed to link time spent to a future gain. But it occurs to me that we are not spending enough time being present. We need to be nurturing our relationships, enjoying more meaningful conversations, listening intently to one another and taking pleasure in the moment. Instead of always asking “now what?”, explore more what is now. Even in a business context, being present with your client has benefits. By being in the now, you will be better able to observe and listen. Instead of thinking ahead to how you’re going to upsell your customer or how you’re going to get to your next meeting, consider the time spent and the exchange itself as valuable.
From now on, my injunction is to think more about the time you are spending in the present. Breathe into it. Think of this as your next step. Because now is what.
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