Find Your Center: Goal-Setting & Awareness
Summary
Introduction: Finding Your Center
Peter Stone opens the video by posing a thought-provoking question: How do you find your center? He challenges viewers to consider whether they rely on specific tools or techniques to regain focus and presence, or if they can simply “flip a switch” to become centered instantly, regardless of external distractions. He paints a vivid picture of common modern distractions—whether it’s the noise of a bustling city, the chaos of being online, or the constant pull of digital devices—and asks if one can still quickly and effectively pull themselves back to a centered state. This opening segment sets the tone for a deeper exploration of presence, focus, and intentional living.
The Concept of a “Switch” to Centeredness
Peter highlights the critical moment of awareness when you realize you’ve drifted off track. This moment of self-awareness acts as a “switch,” enabling a conscious decision to re-center yourself. He asks the audience to reflect on what that switch looks like for them—what triggers the awareness that they are no longer present or aligned with their goals. This idea suggests that centeredness is accessible at any moment through mindful recognition, providing a powerful tool for personal regulation and growth.
Using the Full Moon as a Symbolic Reminder
Drawing from his experience hosting a TV show called Stepping Up and Stepping Out: Making 2017 Your Best Year Yet, Peter shares an innovative approach to maintaining focus and commitment. He noticed that many people abandon their New Year’s resolutions within just a few weeks—over 50% fail to stick with them beyond three weeks. To counter this, instead of relying on the calendar year, he chose to use the full moon as a cyclical reminder—a natural, recurring event that could serve as a prompt to review, recalibrate, and recommit to personal goals and dreams.
The full moon becomes a metaphorical “switch” to bring attention back to what matters most—whether those goals are physical, mental, personal, or professional. This approach encourages periodic reflection and course correction, rather than waiting for the arbitrary start of a new year. It embraces the lunar cycle as a rhythm to sync one’s intentions with natural cycles, fostering continuous motivation and presence.
Advantages of Using Lunar Cycles for Goal Setting
Peter emphasizes the practicality of using the full moon and new moon phases as markers. These lunar events occur approximately every two weeks, offering more frequent opportunities for assessment than the annual New Year’s resolution model. By choosing the new moon and full moon as checkpoints, individuals can create a more dynamic and responsive habit of reflection and planning. This approach prevents the common pitfall of waiting too long to evaluate progress and allows for consistent momentum.
He describes this method as a way to avoid the frustration and loss of motivation that often accompany traditional yearly goals. The lunar cycle acts as a natural clock, encouraging people to stay engaged and proactive with their aspirations throughout the year. This technique also personalizes goal setting, making it feel more connected to the rhythms of life and less like a rigid, imposed schedule.
The Invitation for Personal Reflection
Towards the end of the transcript, Peter turns the question back to the viewers: How do you find your center? What tools or practices do you use to pull yourself out of distraction and back into alignment? He challenges viewers to consider their own unique “switch” or trigger that helps them become present, suggesting that this awareness is the first step toward intentional living.
He also invites viewers to experiment with the idea of using the lunar cycle as a prompt for reflection and goal-setting, encouraging a shift from rigid, infrequent resolutions to a fluid, natural rhythm of personal growth. This invitation sets the stage for viewers to explore their methods of staying centered and motivated.
Key Insights
- Centering as a Skill: Centeredness is not a passive state but an active skill, involving awareness and the ability to “flip a switch” back into focus despite distractions.
- Awareness as the Switch: Recognizing when you are off track is crucial; this moment of awareness functions as the switch to re-center yourself.
- Limitations of Traditional Resolutions: Annual New Year’s resolutions often fail because they are too infrequent and can feel disconnected from daily life rhythms.
- Lunar Cycles as Natural Prompts: The full moon and new moon serve as natural, recurring reminders to review and recommit to goals, offering more frequent opportunities to course-correct.
- Integration of Natural Rhythms: Aligning goal-setting and reflection with natural cycles can enhance motivation and make the process more sustainable and intuitive.
- Personalization and Experimentation: Each person’s “switch” to centeredness may differ; discovering and experimenting with what works best is important for maintaining presence and alignment.
Outline of Content
- Introduction and Question: How do you find your center?
- The Moment of Awareness: What triggers your return to presence?
- Television Show Context: Stepping Up and Stepping Out and the challenge of maintaining resolutions.
- Using the Full Moon as a Reminder: A novel approach to cyclical goal-setting.
- Comparison with Traditional New Year’s Resolutions: Why lunar cycles offer greater frequency and practicality.
- Invitation to the Audience: Reflect on your tools and consider using lunar cycles for growth.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What does Peter Stone mean by “finding your center”?
A: Finding your center refers to becoming present, focused, and aligned with your inner goals and values, especially when distracted by external noise or stress.
Q: Why does he use the full moon as a reminder?
A: The full moon is a natural, recurring event that serves as a symbolic and practical prompt to review and recommit to personal goals, offering frequent opportunities for reflection.
Q: How does this approach differ from traditional New Year’s resolutions?
A: Unlike annual resolutions, using the lunar cycle encourages more regular check-ins, preventing motivation from fading quickly and allowing adjustments throughout the year.
Q: Can anyone use this method regardless of belief in lunar cycles?
A: Yes, the lunar cycle is a universal natural rhythm that can serve as a neutral, practical reminder irrespective of spiritual or cultural beliefs.
Q: What is the “switch” to centeredness?
A: The “switch” is the moment of awareness when you recognize being off track and consciously choose to return to a present, focused state.