Avanti Entrepreneur Avanti Entrepreneur Magazine Fall 2017 | Page 7

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n a world that buzzes, beeps, and
distracts more than ever before, how
do entrepreneurs stay sharp, focused,
and on track to achieve the great
heights of success they set out for?
For many, the answer lies in mindfulness
meditation, defined by the UMass Medical
School Center for Mindfulness as the
practice of present moment awareness. Most
of us know that we would do better work
if we were less distracted, but developing a
discipline to combat distraction falls to the
bottom of our constantly expanding to-do
lists. What’s the cost of distraction on the
work we do? On the attention we give to
employees? On our ability to innovate and
see through our great ideas?
There’s mounting evidence that a
mindfulness meditation practice cultivates
focus, attention, and emotional regulation.
More entrepreneurs are using meditation as
a tool to manage the demands of leadership,
tackle the most challenging work, and reach
peak performance.
For entrepreneurs, the opportunity in
meditation is more than just a peaceful
exercise in paying more attention.
Meditation retrains the mind and results in
cognitive and psychological changes in the
brain.
THE CASE FOR MEDITATION
The first study to document the changes
meditation produces in the brain’s gray
matter was published in a 2011 issue of
Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, where
a team of Harvard-affiliated researchers
reported its findings following an e ight-
week mindfulness meditation program at
Massachusetts General Hospital.
The study compared magnetic resonance
(MR) images of the brain structure of 16
participants before and after participating
in eight weeks of mindfulness meditation
training. The results showed increased gray
matter density in the hippocampus, an
area of the brain known to be important
for learning and memory, and in structures
associated with self-awareness, compassion,
and introspection. The MR images also
showed decreased gray matter density in
the amygdala, which is known to play an
important role in anxiety and stress. The
participants spent an average of just 27
minutes a day on mindfulness practices.
How do these findings translate to real-life
outcomes? Tim Ferriss, best-selling author
and host of The Tim Ferriss Show, uncovered
a strong link between high-achieving
individuals and meditation. In his best-
selling book Tools of Titans, Tim Ferriss
interviewed around 200 executives, leaders,
and world-class performers. He found that
more than 80 percent practiced some form
of mindfulness or meditation. Among some
of the most successful people in the world,
Ferriss uncovered what he calls “The Most
Consistent Pattern of All” connecting world-
class athletes with billionaire investors:
meditation.
“Between stimulus
and response lies a
space. In that space
lies our freedom and
power to choose
a response. In our
response lies our
growth and our
happiness.”
—Viktor Frankl
Mindfulness meditation is an active area
of research, and recent studies have linked
the practice to reducing stress, anxiety, and
mind wandering. It also changes how you
regulate and react to emotions, a critical
behavior for successful entrepreneurs. Russell
Simmons, Chairman and CEO of Rush
Communications and Co-Founder of Def
Jam Recordings, is vocal about the impact
meditation has had on his personal and
professional life.
“I can promise you that no tool has made
me a smarter, more focused, and clearer
thinking entrepreneur than meditation,” says
Simmons. “When you sit quietly and let your
mind settle, all the innovative, inventive, and
inspired ideas that have been hiding out in
the depths of your mind are going to begin to
bubble to the surface.”
HOW TO START A MEDITATION
PRACTICE
The basic idea of mindfulness meditation is
as simple as taking the time to intentionally
do nothing. A common approach is a sitting
practice: finding a quiet place in your home
or your office to sit in a chair, cross-legged on
a cushion or in another comfortable position,
and closing your eyes.
Mindfulness meditation builds awareness
of the present moment by focusing the
attention on the breath. Psychology Today
recommends turning your attention lightly
to the breath, noticing its natural pattern,
and following it through your nose and down
your midsection. You’d then repeat this last
step for the duration of your practice.
Inevitably, sitting quietly prompts all sorts
of thoughts. In an article for Mindful.
org, clinical psychologist Elisha Goldstein
reminds us that this does not mean you’ve
failed at meditating. Instead, simply notice
that your mind is wandering, acknowledge
the thought that arose, and return to the
breath.
There’s also a science to developing
a meditation practice that sticks. It’s
challenging to form a new habit, but creating
a cue and a routine helps to trigger your brain
to adapt to new behaviors. In his book The
Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explains the
“habit loop” in which a cue, a routine, and a
reward help form a habit.
To make your meditation practice an
automatic behavior, designate a consistent
space and time of day for your meditation
practice, and—if the benefits of your practice
aren’t reward enough—assign a reward for
yourself after a successful 21-day streak of
mindfulness meditation.
Rob Dube is President of ImageOne, a Forbes
25 Small Giant, and the author of do nothing,
The most rewarding leadership challenge you’ ll
ever take.
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