This morning I write this overlooking a beautiful and quiet garden on a winter’s day in the Scottish Highlands. I am visiting friends and they have gone out for a while and I sit here in solitude and stillness.
We have so much information in the world, so much for our brains to process, so many decisions to make on a daily basis. With technology, we can also be more and more efficient and so cram more and more into our time.
I too find it so easy to be busy, to fill my time, yet there is real power in having the discipline to consciously make time for solitude.
Solitude is a state of mind, where one can be present to oneself, without distraction. Where we create such a space, we can turn off the “monkey mind” and the solutions to anything we seek will present themselves.
One need not take off hundreds of miles for this, sometimes it is sufficient to just turn off the electronic stimulation and pick up a book, or to listen to music with your eyes closed, or to leave everything behind (including that smartphone) and go for a walk in the park.
That said, I am inspired by this, a project based around one of the quietest places on earth, as featured in this NY Times article.
Leadership starts with leading self. Take a moment to consider where you find time for solitude, to switch off the monkey mind, turn off the chatter, create clarity, find silence.