Mindfulness is what successful people do, whether in business, school, athletics, art, or the art of living. People who can focus completely on the present moment or task at hand are more successful and much happier than everyone else.

There have been numerous scientific studies showing how mindfulness is correlated with psychologicial well being, improved focus, better short term memory, and many other benefits.  Here is one example: a 2011 study from the US National Institutes of Health.

In sports, we know the value of being “in the zone”, the “flow state”, and other terms which refer to being completely in the moment and undistracted by any mental activity that is not relevant to the physical activity at hand. 

In Buddhism, mindfulness was traditionally seen as the meditator’s daily task of staying in higher states of mind all day long. Mindfulness will allow you to monitor the thoughts and feelings that enter your awareness and give you the ability to determine how to handle them: whether to experience them if they serve you, or to let them go if they won’t. By staying mindful all day, or as much as possible, when you sit down to formally meditate your mind is already clear and calm and your meditation can take you that much further.