“What's past is prologue "
~William Shakespeare, The Tempest
At VIM Executive Coaching, we have pretty much heard them all: Old School, Past It, Good Riddance, Redundant, Dinosaur, OK Boomer (and other generations), Kaput, Finito and Yesterday’s News. We are sure you can quickly add to the list.
The past, we have been convinced, is prologue. The past, we have been told, should remain the past; that times have changed, the ways of doing business have changed, that society and values have been changed.
It is overwhelming to think about; that the vey fabric of modern-day life is unrelatable to anything that has gone before. After all, we are told, our world is digital; people may now “be allowed” to be anything they want to be; workplaces have gone virtual; that most anything and everything can be obtained with a valid credit card and a digital device.
Oh, is that so?
The above arguments might all hold water (or any other beverage) if it weren’t for some problematic truths, including Yoga, Tai Chi, Meditation, Sudoku, Pilates, Qigong, Guided Imagery, Breathing Exercises, Repetitive Prayer, Cleanses, Painting and Dance and other movement and creative pursuits, Retreats, and Mindfulness Training.
And we might list more of the above if we had the time, but what most, if not all of the things we have just listed, have in common are ancient, non-digital and “exploding” in popularity. Aren’t the above pursuits “prologue?” What then, does it all mean to us? What can be said about the vast numbers of people who have the need to reconnect with powerful elements and practices of the ancient past? Yes, the roots of Sudoku as does Go and other games go far back as well.
In past posts on this website, we have talked about the unfortunate rise in societal (and workplace) isolation, loneliness and “separation” from one another.
For psychologists remind us, over and again, that this society – in and out of work lives – is an over-stressed mess. Apparently, there are things that valid credit cards and digital devices have trouble reaching, such as the most basic of all, a peace of mind.
We would argue that the past isn’t prologue at all but highly instructive and quite useful. The tremendous need to connect with some forms of spirituality, however one describes that in their own words, are more than necessary, but essential.
No, we are not emphasizing religion here, but a sense of connection to a work and people and to those we care for, and about. Living on the digital edge is no longer working. By the way, in current polls taken of Millennials and Gen-Z, despite the hours spent staring and texting into screens, they readily admit they are addicted to the virtual. They know it and don’t like it. And, with excellent reason; cell phone manufacturers and service providers long ago admitted that industrial psychologists in their employ have designed the products to be addictive.
What we experience
VIM Executive Coaching emphasizes mindfulness training and meditation among many tools, both modern and ancient. We can say with fairly high confidence, that all of our clients have digital devices and they enjoy (every one) in turning them off, if only for a little while, to become more aware and in the moment.
The executive leaders enjoy the mindfulness meditation down time, as one might savor a good play or walk in the woods or a creative pursuit. Mindfulness training is not prologue but relevant and it surely works.