The Five Hindrances: What Stands Between You and True Presence

I was sitting in an executive meeting, supposedly listening to a presentation about quarterly projections. In reality, my mind was miles away—racing between yesterday's difficult guest escalation and tomorrow's executive presentation.

"Josh, what are your thoughts on this?"

My boss's voice snapped me back to the present.

I fumbled through a response, but the truth was clear: I wasn't paying attention. Not really.

Have you ever had that moment? When you're physically present but mentally absent? We all have.

In hospitality, these moments can be particularly costly—both for our guests and our teams.

Over the years, I've come to understand that mindfulness isn't some mystical practice reserved for mountain-top monasteries. It's a practical skill that stands at the heart of exceptional hospitality and leadership.

At its core, mindfulness consists of two simple (but not easy) elements:

When we achieve this state, we create space for genuine connection. We hear not just what our guests or team members are saying, but what they're truly needing. We respond rather than react.

But something often gets in the way.

In Buddhist tradition, there are five hindrances that block mindfulness—five mental states that pull us away from being fully present. I've found that these same hindrances show up daily in our work in hospitality:

1. Desire/Craving

This is when our mind is pulled toward something we want instead of what's in front of us. Maybe you're thinking about the promotion you're after while a guest is explaining their problem. Or perhaps you're mentally planning your vacation while your team member is sharing an important concern.

2. Aversion/Anger

When we feel resistance or irritation, our hearts close. That difficult guest becomes "another complainer." The team member who questions our approach becomes "a troublemaker." We might stop seeing them as a person and view them as the problem.

3. Lethargy/Heaviness

Sometimes we're just mentally underwater. After a long shift during a challenging week, we can slip into autopilot. We're going through the motions, but there's no energy, no presence behind our actions.

4. Restlessness/Worry

This hindrance shows up as that mental buzz—when your mind feels like it has 37 browser tabs open at once. You're physically at the front desk, but mentally you're reviewing your to-do list, worrying about staffing, and planning tomorrow's schedule.

5. Doubt

Perhaps the most subtle hindrance, doubt questions whether what we're doing even matters. "Will listening to this guest really make a difference?" "Does this team meeting really need my full attention?" This paralyzes our will to be present.

Here's what I've learned: acknowledging these hindrances is the first step to moving past them.

In a previous newsletter, we talked about finding the sweet spot between coddling and neglect. There's a similar sweet spot in mindfulness—between forcing yourself to be perfectly present (which creates its own tension) and allowing your mind to wander unchecked.

Next time you notice your attention drifting during a guest interaction or team meeting, try this simple practice:

That's it. No elaborate technique, just a gentle return to presence.

At its heart, hospitality isn't about perfect rooms or flawless service. It's about creating genuine human connection. And that connection happens in the space between—when we're truly present with someone else.

When we work with these hindrances rather than being controlled by them, we create that space. We allow ourselves to be fully there with our guests and teams. And in that space, real care happens.

I'm curious—which of these five hindrances shows up most frequently in your work? What has helped you return to presence when your mind has wandered?

Reply and let me know. I'd love to hear your experience.

Take care,

Josh