Is This Your Kairos Moment?
The paper was so small I almost missed it.
It was in 1996, I just turned 16 and was in my high school, rushing from one class to another, taking stairs two at a time as I was late. And there it was, a notice on the bulletin board announcing a competition for students who wanted to spend a year in a private high school in the US.
I was born in Czechoslovakia and this was just 7 years after the Velvet revolution. At that time, very few people I knew have ever gone to the US, let alone study there for a whole year. It was an amazing opportunity. And I nearly missed it.
Long story short, I went on to apply and was among 7 people selected from my country that won a full scholarship to study in the US for an entire year. It was one of the most transformational years of my life and has profoundly shaped who I am and what I do to this day.
It is likely that we would not be connected on LinkedIn and you would not be reading this post if I haven’t noticed that bulletin board 28 years ago.
Why am I telling you this?
I recently found out that ancient Greeks had two concepts of time - Chronos and Kairos.
Chronos represents the quantitative, linear, sequential and objective aspects of time we are all familiar with. When we refer to ‘time’, we almost always mean Chronos.
Kairos on the other hand, represents the qualitative, opportune, and subjective moments that are significant and impactful within the flow of time. It is often translated as “the right moment,” “the opportune moment,” or “the supreme moment.” It refers to a critical, opportune moment in which action or decision is most effective.
In rhetoric for example, Kairos is the concept of saying the right thing at the right time, seizing the moment to make the most impactful statement.
In a broader sense, it can refer to any moment where opportunity and preparedness converge, allowing for something significant to happen.
In 1996, when I noticed the bulletin board, it was a ‘Kairos moment' for me. As I was going through my day governed by regular schedule (Chronos), an opportunity that reshaped all aspects of my life had opened right in front of me.
When such moments happen, we have a choice. To follow the normal course of events and miss the opportunity, or to pause, realise what is happening and create space to capitalise on it.
So, back to my question. Is this your Kairos moment? Are you in front of a significant decision or a new opportunity? What would be possible if you said yes?
PS. Keep your eyes open in the coming days, perhaps your Kairos moment is not yet in your awareness but now that you know what to look for, it may just be heading your way.
