NOW Is the Time
As a professional speaker, I am often asked about my process. Specifically, what goes through my mind as I am taking the stage.
My first thought is don’t trip and fall.
My second thought is actually a prayer:
Please use my story and this time together to add value to the people in this room. Amen.
Whether your audience is one or one thousand, I believe the question we should be asking ourselves every day is, “How can I use my time, talents, and gifts to make a positive difference in the lives of others?”
Think about that. How do we take the fleeting moments that are the lives we live and do something extraordinary that will linger long after we leave? Something that will help people and move them from where they are to someplace new? Someplace better.
It’s a big question.
One that I believe the universe is asking us every day. But mostly we are too busy and distracted to own the moments that matter. And which moments matter?
All of them.
There’s not a single, precious moment that comes to us without the potential to do something that can add value to the world, to each other, and to the very pursuits we aspire to achieve.
And yet so many minutes slip right through our hands. Like grains of sand, they wash away with the worries of the day. Whisked out to the sea of missed opportunities and lost forever. Slowly eroding the shoreline of our legacy and of a life well lived.
I think a lot about this little space called now. I remind my audiences that the intersection of our lives with others’ do not happen by accident. In fact, I believe they happen quite by assignment. I believe they were sent to us because they need something that only we can give them. A kind word, a shoulder to lean on, or the encouragement to keep moving through a tough time. The truth is, we don’t know what we don’t know. And the only way we can find out why they are there is to be fully immersed in the moment with them.
One of my favorite quotes is from Mother Teresa:
“Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.” — Mother Teresa
Think about the incredible power in that simple idea.
If we can just own this moment. If we can just show up in this space. If we can just be completely and fully connected to the person in front of us, how much better would life be? How much more meaningful and fulfilling would our relationships be?
I believe there is competition for every relationship in our life. There’s competition for the minds of our children. There’s competition for the love and affection of our significant other. There’s competition for the customers we serve and colleagues we serve with.
And when we don’t own the moment we’re in, we leave the door open for someone to take those relationships from us.
We wake up one day and wonder where they’ve all gone.
Friends, NOW is the time of your life. It is ALL you have that is for certain. It is the only thing within your grasp and control with which to do something that matters.
Here are three ideas for turning NOW into a lifetime of excellence:
NOW is the time to CONNECT with the people who matter the most to you. Don’t take for granted that they will always be there. From family and friends to clients and co-workers, choose to be intentional about how you engage with them. Remember, they all need something that only you can give them.
NOW is the time to GROW yourself, your teams, and your opportunities. This is the time to invest in getting better. Choosing not to be ordinary is about expanding your capacity so that you have more to pour into the people around you. Listen, the people you surround yourself with need and want to be edified. As leaders and mentors, we cannot give what we do not have. It is critical to make sure we are constantly learning, growing, and feeding our own minds to equip ourselves for the incredible gift and responsibility of growing others.
NOW is the time to SERVE. Serving others is the cornerstone of a great life. When we pour into others, we become full. When we help people, we actually help ourselves find deeper meaning and relevance in a world where kindness seems to be a rare commodity. We need people willing to see others and embrace the best in them. Because until we see someone, we cannot serve them. Whenever you see someone, ask yourself: What can I do that would add value to them? What can I do to lift them up or lighten their load? How can I serve them? These questions will bring you back to the goodness that our world so desperately needs.
When you master the moments of your life, you will unleash the superpower of presence. You will begin to experience deeper and more meaningful relationships and a sense of fulfillment that perhaps you have never felt before. The essence of being a hero is to bring your best stuff to the present moment and pour it into the lives of others. I believe this force of goodness has the potential to change your life for the better and in the process, it just might change the world.
But here’s the thing…it only matters if you do it NOW!
This article is part of a series called The Hero Effect® At Work: A monthly newsletter to guide organizations in creating a culture of heroes at every level in their workplace.
My new book, Unleashing Your Hero (HarperCollins Leadership, October 2021), offers a guide to this future, inspired by The Hero Effect®, to help readers to get back in the box, dare to dream big, and become the Hero the world needs.
Head to pre-order before October 19th, and receive exclusive access to:
3 Superpowers That Make Good Leaders Great Video
50 Power Quotes to Make Every Day Extraordinary PDF
UNLEASHED Journal* (*first 500 orders only).
Copyright © 2021 Kevin Brown. All rights reserved.