Listening to Donald Miller’s podcast, I heard a comment from Bob Goff that literally stopped me in my tracks while on my daily podcast walk:

Don’t mistake proximity for presence.

My mind jumped to Amy Cuddy’s book, Presence, and her definition of “presence”:

Presence is the state of being attuned to and able to comfortably express our true thoughts, feelings, values, and potential.

Now, put those thoughts together, and apply them to the setting of a Modern Elder. When you are in a conversation with someone, there is no more important person in the world.

• You are not formulating your next response.
• You are not focused elsewhere.
• You are not distracted by the environment.

You are present.

It’s time to move from proximity to presence.

You’re in the most important two feet in a Modern Elder experience.

• It’s the person you are talking with.
• It’s the space between them and you.

Recognizing this important double meaning is the starting point for understanding how to be present as a Modern Elder. The interactions that take place between you and another person in those 24 inches are rich with expectations – and can also be filled with missed opportunities.

When you are not present, people can tell.

When you are present, people respond.

Think ahead to your next conversation: Will you be fully present?

…or will you just be in proximity?

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