People and Management February 2019 | Page 22

FEATURE THE CONSTRUCT OF MINDFULNESS THE “POTENTIAL PROJECT” PERSPECTIVE Have you ever watched a Cheetah, readying for a kill? That is Mindfulness in action! Marut Bhardwaj Country Director India Potential Project 22 indfulness, loosely meaning different things, is a buzzword today. While fundamentally, it’s been well defi ned as the ability to be completely present in the moment, in a gentle, non-judgmental way. Mindfulness refers to both a practice and a state of mind. The more you practice it, the more it becomes your state of mind. M In India, we have read about Mindfulness and its tools and techniques in a multitude of different scriptures for thousands of years. In our work with organizations around the world, we keep the practice and defi nition of mindful- ness simple and close to its ancient roots: “Pay- ing attention, in the present moment, with a calm, focused, and clear mind.” Mindfulness is about becoming conscious of your thoughts, your feelings and your emotions; it is about increasing your self- awareness so it creates a greater mental effectiveness, so you can realize your full potential at both professional and personal levels. Effectiveness in this context is the ability to achieve your goals, objectives, and wishes in life. At the core of the practice of mindfulness is the ability to manage one’s attention. When you learn how to manage your attention, you learn how to manage your thoughts. You learn to hold your focus on what you choose, whether it’s this page, an e-mail, a meeting, or the people you are with. In other words, you train yourself to be more present in the here and now. | Vol. 10 Issue 2 • FEBRUARY 2019, Delhi NCR