PRINCIPLE 01: Awareness

Roger L. Brooks/ February 18, 2024

If there’s ever been a time to be truly aware, it’s now—just open your eyes!

Awaken to your reality. You are alive!

Look around you this very moment. Notice the beauty and detail in everything. Your presence of mind becomes your thermostat of thought. The more present, the more focused. The less present, the more distracted. You, and only you, can control your thoughts, but if you are not in complete control, your subconscious will take control of you, and without realizing it, you will default to living subconsciously. Therefore, when you are present, your internal and external awareness puts you in the greatest position for maintaining constant control of your thoughts, and hence, your actions. 

Did you ever notice that when you talk to certain people the conversation always reverts back to them?

Why is this so? Because they are not in sync with you. Their minds are self-absorbed to the point where they’re not present to your words. They are half-listening at best, much too concerned about what they want to say rather than honoring what you are saying. Your awareness is your ultimate advantage. You will be more trusted, respected, and regarded when you interact with others if you are simply more aware. Your energy of awareness will be felt, and people WILL remember how you made them feel when you are fully present with them in the moment. The key factor with this principle is to navigate and regulate your internal and external awareness. 

Think about it this way. If you are driving within the city limits, would you ever enable and then set your cruise control? Of course not. There are traffic lights, stop signs, pedestrians, bicycles, oncoming and intersecting traffic, all of which makes it virtually impossible to set your cruise control without it enabling an accident. You must pay very close attention to everything around you, while using your turn signals, your brake and your accelerator in order to maintain your presence and ultimate safety and the safety of others. It’s a basic rule of driving to the point where it’s obvious.

Your day-to-day interactions with others must be the same. Your mind should not be elsewhere or on cruise control. Once you become aware, however, your understanding of awareness will result in an absolute shift of each interaction.

From this moment forward, your awareness will become your internal and external asset. Your awareness will be realized, noticed, appreciated and valued. Say this aloud:

“I am now more aware than ever because I am conscious of being aware.”

Dominate awareness, every single moment. Awareness demonstrates maturity of mind, control of thought. Your awareness will not only affect each of your interactions, but it will unequivocally make an impact on those around you who are less aware. Practice internal awareness by keeping your thoughts focused on the present moment, and practice external awareness by being mindful of your environment, surroundings, and those you are conversing with in the moment. 

Practice your awareness while at the coffee shop, on the telephone, in a meeting, or at the kitchen table, as you begin to embrace the understanding that each internal and external interaction is awareness in itself.

Roger L. Brooks is an entrepreneur, sales executive, bestselling author, book publisher and podcaster who has spent his business career in the customer loyalty and payments industries. This article is an excerpt from his bestselling book, Build the Best You, available on Amazon.