Saturday, August 22, 2009

Finding opportunities in a river of thought

Hundreds of opportunities suddenly become visible through the simple act of watching your thoughts. Thoughts need to connect the dots in your brain. Its just like star gazing; finding constellations in the maze of stars. As you connect the stars you see the wheel barrow, gemini and so on. What appeared to be simply a random collection of dots just a moment before, now suddenly takes on a recognizable shape and that shape has meaning to you. Such is the nature of ideas, breakthroughs, innovations. It sometimes takes that childlike innocence and wonderment to stumble into life changing ideas. A 3-year old girl was the inspiration for the invention of the polaroid. We all have been 3-year olds and have been with other 3-year olds. How many adults actually listen to them?

How many leaders actually listen to their employees. How many innovations must be dying infant deaths, never seeing the light of the day? Because the so called “leaders” were busy telling their people what to do. What would it take for leaders to listen? Leaders need to get out of their heads just like people get out of their homes at night and go on to the terrace to gaze at the stars. Surely they will not discover constellations sitting in their living rooms. Robin William’s character in the ‘Dead Poets Society’ says, “Whenever you feel that you know it all, look at it from a different spot and you will get a different perspective.” (something to that effect). The problem is they are too busy DOING. A few minutes of deep business meditation will do the leaders more good than several hours of simply DOING. So next time you get busy doing, stop, sit down and do nothing. Learn to be still.

One of my favorite Eagles songs goes:

There are so many contradictions
In all these messages we send
(we keep asking)
How do I get out of here
Where do I fit in?
Though the world is torn and shaken
Even if your heart is breakin'
It’s waiting for you to awaken
And someday you will-
Learn to be still
Learn to be still

-Original Mind

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