In the early days of powered transportation there was a practical limit to speed. This practical limit existed because there was no reliable way to slow down. Safety, or protecting what matters most, was also a critical reason for not passing this practical limit of speed. After a reliable brake system was created, a system designed to slow a vehicle, the speed of vehicles increased and the safety of the passengers at those speeds also improved.
Like physical brakes on powered transportation, we need mental brakes to go faster and protect those things that matter most.
Several days ago, while putting my kids to bed, I asked my 6-year-old son to brush his teeth and go potty. While I waited, I pulled out my phone to browse my email and Twitter. He finished his teeth and the bathroom and asked me something. With phone in hand, I responded. He seemed satisfied and jumped in bed. Days later, following the same routine, he returned and this time I was intentionally not on my phone. My son and I talked about his day and how he was feeling. It was a moment of connection and teaching. I was listening and my son could feel I was fully present. By not having my phone out during the bedtime routine I was applying mental brakes and our relationship covered far more ground in a shorter period and I felt I was protecting what matters most.
You may have had similar experiences. Apply your mental brakes. Be mindful. Slow down. Focus on protecting what matters most to you. It is only then that you can go faster and protect what matters most.
What do you do to mentally apply the brakes? Write down one thing you can do this week to apply the brakes in your life, do it, and then write down how it makes you feel.
You may not get the brakes right the first time, that’s okay. Through trial and error you can find what type of mental brakes will allow you to go faster and protect what matters most.
