Meet the moment

Rory McIlroy made history at Augusta earlier this week, becoming the first European player to win all four major championships and claiming back-to-back Masters titles in the process. It was the kind of performance that reminds you why we love sport - the grit, the grace, the years of hard work and dedication finally meeting their moment.

But as much as we love Rory and his reflections on redefining success, there's another aspect to this story that really captured us this week.

The shots of the crowd at each stage of the competition.

If you caught any of the coverage, you'll know exactly what we mean. Thousands of people lining the fairways, eyes locked on the course, completely absorbed in what was unfolding in front of them. No phones raised, filtering the experience through a screen. Just people, together, in an unspoken agreement that these moments were worth their full attention, respect and presence.

Now of course, phones aren't permitted at Augusta. It's one of the Masters' most cherished traditions, and watching those crowds, you get the sense that everyone's all the better for it.

It brought to mind a moment a little closer to home that captured a similar energy. Federation Square in Melbourne, December 2022, 7:53 in the morning, thousands of Socceroos fans packed onto the steps watching Australia's World Cup campaign on the big screen. Strangers and friends alike, shoulder to shoulder, sharing the same highs and lows. Zoom in on these faces and you'll only find three people on their phone. Everyone else is living in the moment, riding the waves of exasperation and celebration.

We reach for our phones in big moments because we want to hold onto the feeling forever. And that’s okay, it’s not that phones are inherently bad or wrong. But it's  worth exploring our own habits, making sure we're not constantly missing the full experience of life’s moments in our efforts to preserve the memories.

"Life is lived in moments. But not all moments are created equal. Some moments we never want to end, nostalgic for them while we're still in them… The trick is to know the moment. Because if we're paying attention and open to these moments, they will take us, or allow us to take them, by the hand" – Ben Crowe, Where the Light Gets In

These crowd shots feel like a timely tribute to presence. A collective decision to just be there, fully, without a screen between us and the moment.

Maybe this also looks like a dinner with people you love, a conversation that deserves your full focus, a walk where you really take in your surroundings, or a simple but precious moment with your kids. Presence is rarely the path of least resistance, but it's always the one worth taking.

So however you want to disconnect to connect this week - where could you practise being fully in the moment, however brief or simple?

Just In Case You Missed It

We're excited to be heading to the Sorrento Writers Festival later this month, exploring how leaders can apply Mojo principles to their work and the people around them.

You can catch Ben - On Business and Leadership - at Halcyon Hall, The Continental, Friday April 25th, 4.30pm.