Being Present for Every Moment

Merriam-Webster defines mindfulness as “the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis”. Mindfulness means being present in the moment, rather than allowing yourself to be distracted by thoughts of the past or concerns about the future.

For dentists who own their own practice, just as for any other business leader, mindfulness is a powerful tool that can help you make better choices, not just in your professional work but in all aspects of your life. However, learning to be present in each moment takes practice and training. The benefits make the effort worthwhile, but where do you start?

Wisdom from the World of Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu

My guest for this week’s episode of the Progressive Dentist Podcast is named Alastair Macdonald. Alastair is a fascinating man with a remarkable background; today he works as a private advisor to entrepreneurs and business owners, as well as owning the consulting firm Parallax Strategic Advisors.

However, it is his role as an ex-safari guide and National Geographic expedition leader and as Chairman of the Board of Chengeta Wildlife International, an elephant conservation and anti-poaching organization with operations throughout west and central Africa, as well as his background studying Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu, that gives Alastair a truly unique perspective on business, leadership and personal growth.

Alastair Macdonald’s Four Futures

Alastair has developed a philosophy he calls the Four Futures, based on principles of martial art. Alastair’s Four Futures are Mind, Meaning, Muscle, and Money, and he believes that every aspect of one’s life falls under one of these four categories. By working to maintain balance between the four, Alastair says you can bring greater harmony and a more perfect equilibrium to your life, helping you to live more fully in each moment and make better decisions with more positive outcomes.

In this episode of The Progressive Dentist Podcast, Alastair discusses how he came to develop his Four Futures system, and he shares how dental practice owners can adapt these principles to both their personal and professional lives to achieve a better sense of mindfulness. Please visit www.theprogressivedentist.com for my conversation with Alastair and for many other informative and educational episodes of the show like this one.