Ever feel like your energy is drained and you are only half present?
Originally posted on LinkedIn on 21 Aug 2025
Ever feel like your energy is drained and you are only half present?
What if the key to more energy is not doing more, but being fully present in what you do?
Ajahn Brahm, a Buddhist monk known for his warm and practical wisdom, once told a story of a young Australian man who travelled all the way to Thailand to meet the great meditation master Ajahn Chah.
After days of travel, he reached the monastery eager to ask his questions. But surrounded by crowds, he realized he would never get the chance. Disappointed, he turned to leave.
With time to spare before his ride, he picked up a broom and began sweeping the grounds.
Soon Ajahn Chah appeared, placed a hand on his shoulder, and said just one thing:
“If you are going to sweep the grounds, give it everything you have got.”
That simple teaching was not only about sweeping. It was about life.
Too often we scatter our attention, juggling many things but being present to none of them. The result is stress, drained energy, and people who feel we are only half there.
When we give our full attention, not 50 percent, not 99, but 100, something shifts. We complete the task with clarity. We generate energy. We build trust. We create space for others to give their best too.
Presence does not drain us. Presence fuels us. Presence transforms ordinary moments into meaningful ones.
One thing. One moment. Give it everything you have got.
Where in your leadership or in your life would giving 100 percent presence make the biggest difference right now?