Our days are made up of millions of moments, each of which requires a decision. Often, we gloss over these moments as an exercise in inertia, just going through the motions, doing what we’ve always done. Or, doing what comes easy. The problem comes when we gloss over the moments that matter the most.
What is a moment that matters most? It’s the moment that intersects with what is important to us, or at least what we say is important to us. For the overweight man who wants to lose weight it is the moment he is presented with holiday cookies at the office. For the alcoholic it is the moment they are handed a beer at the tailgate. For the parent who is trying to set a good example for their children by remaining calm and not losing their temper it is the moment milk is spilled all over their cell phone. For the leader it is every moment of every day because every decision a leader makes has impact on others.
Success or failure in these moments is not as important as recognizing and embracing these moments, because if we are not embracing them we are leaving the outcome to chance. Embracing these moments is not as important as recognizing we get to decide the outcome. None of this is as important as taking each moment to act in the manner that will produce the outcome we want.
In short, whether we want to believe or not, singular moments in time always give us the opportunity to act the way we want to. They may come and go in an instant, but they always present themselves. In pursuing a goal or dream, we must start embracing them and stop pretending that they don’t give us a chance.
See the moment, embrace it, think, decide, then act. The extra steps between seeing the moment and acting can take a split second. Nobody is saying it will be easy, but it will give us the best opportunity to get the life we say we want. Embrace the moments that matter the most.
Errol Doebler is the founder of Ice Cold Leader, a leadership consulting firm. After successful careers as a Navy SEAL Platoon Commander and FBI Special Agent, Errol founded Ice Cold Leader to realize his passion of empowering great leaders and better human beings. Ice Cold Leader provides executive coaching, keynote speaking, and corporate retreats to individuals and teams across the world.
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