The Power Of Presence

"The successful are those who have been given opportunities." ~ Malcolm Gladwell

"True genius, in strategy or anywhere, lies in self-control, self-mastery, presence of mind, fluidity of thought." ~ Robert Greene

"Outlier are those who have been given opportunities-- -and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them." ~ Malcolm Gladwell

Whether it be the battlefield of sport or the chessboard of management, presence of mind is a weapon sharper than any blade.

The power of presence is the ability to see with clarity when others are blinded by panic.

For the athlete, presence of mind is the unseen advantage. When seconds decide victory or defeat, it is the calm player who spots the opportunity.

The composed athlete moves with precision, passing, shooting, or shifting strategy as if guided by an invisible hand.

For those with presence of mind, errors are transitory shadows that vanish in the light of focus. They enter a state of "flow or rhythm" that moving realm where time bends and every action feels effortless. This is ruled by the mental edge to remain present. Adaptation, too, becomes second nature.

When the play shifts, the sharp mind shifts with it, unshaken and alert.

Likewise, a manager or supervisor without presence of mind is a tyrant to themselves, reacting wildly to every crisis, drowning in the chaos they should control.

When emergencies strike, they pause, not to hesitate, but to see more clearly than anyone else. Their calm spreads like ripples in water, infecting their team with a quiet confidence.

While others succumb to emotion, they stay cold as steel, guiding their colleagues with logic and precision.

Presence of mind allows them to read the unseen threads of the situation, prioritizing tasks with the eye of a world Chess master. They know that to master the long game, they must resist being dragged into petty skirmishes. Others react. The master of presence acts.

Both the athlete and the manager face the same enemy, distraction, fear, and chaos.

But those with presence of mind rise above it. They do not merely survive the storm; they use it, bending it to their will.

They remain present. Not lost in past mistakes or future worries, but fully engaged in the now. It allows them to see further, move faster, and strike with precision.

This presence becomes power.

It is the difference between victory and defeat, between command and collapse. Master it, and you will walk calmly through the long grass while others are bit by the snakes.