It all happened so quicklyโI wasn’t prepared for it.
It was a seemingly normal Thursday when I decided to sell some old camera equipment online using a popular platform. Within minutes of posting one of my old camera lenses, I received a message from an interested buyer. He appeared genuine and requested a video of the product via WhatsApp.
After a brief conversation, he agreed to buy it and sent me a payment confirmation through the online platform. I even received an email from the seller’s website, prompting me to enter my bank details to transfer his payment. Everything looked legit.
But things started to get strange when I was asked to confirm access to my bank account. Error messages popped up, but the buyer reassured me that he does these transactions all the time. He even sent a copy of his passport to gain my trust.
That’s when my awareness kicked in. My intuition told me something was off. When he requested a “test” transfer of โฌ1500 to an unknown account, I paused. I took a deep breath, tuned into the present moment, and decided to end the conversation.
A few minutes later, my bank suspended my credit card due to an attempted online theft.
I credit my quick decision-making to my daily mindfulness practice. It’s easy to get overwhelmed in high-pressure situations and let the fight-or-flight response take over, leading to irrational decisions driven by fear or false hope.
Here’s my lesson: Staying present and observing each moment can help you navigate challenges gracefully, even in the face of a cyber attack.
The good news?
Everyone can develop this skill. It starts with practicing self-awareness and trusting your intuition.
1 Question for the Weekend
How can you cultivate a deeper sense of awareness in your daily leadership decisions?
Love
Matthias