Being Present and problem solving
One of my favorite themes in coaching and corporate trainings is the link between being Present (with its’ attendant aspects of the pause and the breath) and problem solving. Problems can only ever be solved in the present moment. And, they are always solved in the present moment. That may sound like the same thing but there is a significant difference. The first statement assumes the usual attitude that there is the present moment and then there is everything else (Past and future). It assumes “Time.” The second statement makes the point that it is always the present moment, that there is nothing else, and so this is the time to address the issue. (Love that line, “There’s no time like the present!” - literally)
I have two favorite stories to emphasize the connection between being present and problem solving. The first is short, a Lawrence Olivier story, and the second about the ancient tale of Beowulf, much more complex and detailed (Later.)
Lawrence Olivier, (Sir Larry) was arguably the world’s greatest Shakespearean actor of the 20th century. Two things about sir Larry are relevant to this story; 1) He hated to memorize lines. If he didn’t need to memorize a line, such as reading a letter on stage, he wouldn’t. He would have the letter written out. Most actors would have the lines committed to memory. 2) He was a practical joker and loved to see if he could get actors to break character in the middle of a play. Understandably sharing the stage with Olivier kept other actors on their toes.
What happens in this one particular performance is that the other actors decide turn about is fair play and they decide to play a practical joke on Sir Larry. They convince the actor who delivers the letter to Larry to switch it out for a blank piece of paper. So, it’s the middle of a battle scene. Olivier, the commander, is alone on stage with smoke pouring in from stage left and right, sound effects of cannon firing, swords clashing, men shouting and dying. A messenger rushes on stage towards Olivier. “Letter from the front my lord!”
Olivier snatches the letter, opens it and……… it’s blank. …….. Looooong pause (and probably, hopefully, some deep breaths……..
Olivier: “My eyes are too weak with the smoke of battle…… you read it! (Hands letter to messenger)
Now, Olivier could have spent his time (as many of us would in such a pressurized situation) not being present. “This is not what’s supposed to be happening! This letter is not supposed to be blank, it’s not the one I am supposed to have. Why Isn’t my letter here? What happened? Blah blah blah, past, past, past.” Instead, Olivier becomes very present with what IS (rather than on what is NOT) actually going on: blank letter, where do I go from here?. His willingness to ‘rest’ in the reality of the present with its powerful energy of ‘Presence,’ ‘IS-ness,’ ‘potentiality’ and ‘possibility’ leads to the solution.
I often wonder what the messenger did in that situation. The story doesn’t say. I would hope that if I were them I would also take a breath, pause, sink into the present and….
Messenger: “Sorry my lord, I never learned how to read.”
