No Sweat
Turning Anxiety to Achievement
This morning, one of my coaching clients told me of a big moment he had last week, and allowed me to share it in my newsletter.
AB is legal counsel for a NYC-based healthcare startup. He works long days in an extremely high-pressure environment, responsible not only for detailed compliance in a highly regulated environment but also regularly called upon to help colleagues (most of whom are younger) handle their own confusions and stressors.
We started working together two months ago, during which time he has embraced a simple daily Zen practice, giving quality attention to his own body and mind. He only practices formally for 15 minutes each morning, but the energy of concentration (samadhi) has begun to show itself in the midst of his daily life.
Last week, he represented his company in a meeting with a large Pharma company. The meeting promised to be very challenging, as the big company was to grill him on the startup’s compliance protocols.
Being the startup’s main legal counsel, AB was alone on his side of the (virtual) table. On the other side of the table sat four corporate lawyers for the Pharma company who handled various aspects of compliance, supported by fourteen additional staff.
An intimidating setup indeed.
As the meeting approached, AB (along with his CEO) was very nervous, as much hinged on the outcome. A few minutes before the meeting began, AB entered his large conference room alone and practiced Zen for a few moments. He noticed the symptoms of nervousness in his body and just allowed them to happen, practicing the mental posture of non-interference.
He connected with his basic stability of mind, and almost instantly, the nervous symptoms started to subside.
When the meeting started, he was very grounded and present. He was even able to enjoy the pressure. He was very well-prepared; his confidence emerged as genuine excitement. The meeting went extremely well, and he answered every concern the corporate lawyers threw at him.
AB credits his Zen practice with helping turn this intimidating encounter into a resounding professional success. The truth is that with proper guidance, anyone can access and maintain their basic stability of mind and basic goodness of heart. “Knocking it out of the park” in stressful situation becomes commonplace.
I work with individuals in personalized programs to integrate Zen practice into your daily life, and align the practice with your professional, personal and family goals. If you would like to explore working with me, sign up for a free Discovery session and let’s chat. (I’ve got a new scheduler on my website.)
P.S. I am always drawn to help people navigate professional transitions, planned and unplanned. (See my post on How to Move On.) If you are currently facing job loss due to the chaos in our government and corporate sectors, I encourage you to reach out for a talk and see how I might support you.
Have a great weekend, everyone.
Image by Franz Bachinger from Pixabay