There are minutes and there are moments.

Minutes are for standing in line at the grocery store.

Moments are for your child’s first step.

Minutes are for checking email.

Moments are for the quintessential glass of wine.

Minutes are for paying bills.

Moments are for screaming to the top of your lungs, “I love you!”

Minutes are the necessary work to enjoy the moments of life.

So, how can we find and enjoy moments in time?

—By Realizing Moments are Forever in Time, but Cannot be Frozen in Time The problem comes when we refuse to move on. It is human nature to revel in the moment and to hope it never ends, but while a moment can live forever in time, we cannot hope to live that moment out forever. Times change, and for a our lives to be truly transcendent, we must capture new moments.

—By Savoring the Moment, Recording the Moment and Moving on to the Next Moment The beauty of journaling, video, digital cameras and blogging is that it gives us the ability to capture the moment and then relive it in the proper context again and again. Recording special times provides tangible, concrete ways to savor the moment in a healthy way at moments such as family reunions, corporate team meetings and even at capital fundraising events. It helps us establish the stories and lore of our heritage.

Moments give us a legacy that when retold can help propel us into the future. It gives the next generation foundations upon which to build. Building blocks for the future. If there are no moments, no building blocks, to inspire and provide a foundation, building is far more difficult. And if the moments are so tightly held and revered that they cannot be given up; the possibility of growth and legacy, recruiting new and innovative workers, and dreaming real world visions becomes impossible. Moments should be and can be our future.

—By Understanding The Plateau Principle Life cannot be a series of endless moments. Our senses, our physical bodies cannot handle this.

Even the male erectile dysfunction ads warn us that an erection lasting longer than four hours demands immediate medical attention. We are not built for endless pleasure. A healthy life demands rest and mundane times of non-mountain top living.

Plateaus are a feature of nature. If you have hiked tall mountains, you know how wonderful a plateau looks. Plateaus provide time to take well deserved breathers. If life were just a series of moments, soon they would become simply minutes passing. The plateau principle teaches us that life has a natural progression of highs, lows and plateaus. The plateau time can help us prepare for the next special moment or the next crisis. The key is to take time during the breather to prepare.

Gearing up for the long haul, a natural cycle of highs, lows and breathers provides us opportunity for a well rounded and ever growing life. When we realize that mundane times are a vital part of life and business, it becomes possible to rest in that fact. We can take it as an opportunity to retool, relax, and restore the emotional aspects of our lives that are depleted during the high and the low times. The plateau provides the the perfect opportunity to refresh our emotional stability.

—By Realizing Minutes are what make Moments Special Moments without minutes would be non-existent. The very essence of a moment is the culmination of minutes.

Many people and organizations forget this foundational fact. The investment of the mundane meetings, e-mail, and standing in line are necessary to lovely moments.

I have worked with people who only want to live in the moments. Those who desire to lead the performance but not the rehearsal. They love delivering the talk but not spending the proper preparation time for to present it. However, the time spent in the mire of minutes makes the moments come alive for those who are in the trenches.

Maybe that is why so many leaders and executives I know continually search for satisfaction and fulfillment. Maybe the truest fulfillment comes from the seemingly endless minutes leading up to the moment. The enjoyment of the journey leads to an indescribable celebration of the moment when the destination finally comes.

Question: What is a lovely moment you have experienced?

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