The idea of “stickiness” is really important in the business world. In his book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell discussed the concept of “The Stickiness Factor.” This refers to a unique quality that something has to “stick” in people’s minds. It is easy to recall how a commercial jingle or a pop song gets “stuck in your head”.
So stickiness has become not only a buzzword, but something to admire and strive for. It may be something worth reflecting on, especially when it comes to mindfulness and meditation.
As we meditate, we want to rest comfortably in the moment and not follow the mind as it jumps around. But there are times when something sticks and keeps coming up. It doesn’t have to be a jingle or a tune, it could be thinking about a particular event that is coming up in the future, or a strong memory, good or bad. If the mind keeps returning to something, you get trained to let it bring you there and keep you there.
A practice of mindfulness is in some ways trying to get to a place of anti-stickiness. Let your thoughts become slippery, like a sheet of ice or a smooth surface that lets everything slide across it.
Rethink a little on how business and culture are prioritizing something that is unhelpful at times, and building up habits that we do not necessarily need.
