The Awe Advantage (The Friday Ficks S6 E1)

For a brief, shared moment, the street surrendered its momentum to wonder.

Runners stopped running. Walkers stopped walking. Rollerbladers stopped gliding. Cyclists eased to a halt. In a world obsessed with speed, efficiency, and constant forward motion, this sudden pause felt almost rebellious.

Speculation followed. A meteor? Space junk? A comet?

None of the above. It was just a sunrise. That’s it.

The holidays were behind us. Life had resumed its familiar pace. Along A1A in South Florida, everyone was back on the move - focused, busy, purposeful.

Until that sunrise with blood-orange hues stretching across the horizon reminded us that motion isn’t always progress.

I happened to be in an early-morning spin class, bikes pointed due east, holding a coveted front-row seat in what I call the Awe Theater. No agenda. No productivity hack. Just presence.

And the sunrise was AWEsome.

The band Rush once urged us to “freeze this moment, a little bit longer, make each sensation a little bit stronger.” Science backs them up. Studies show that moments of awe expand our perception of time, increase cognitive flexibility, improve decision-making, and elevate well-being.

That’s not indulgence. That’s advantage.

As leaders, we’re trained to believe that advantage comes from doing more, moving faster, and staying relentlessly in motion. Awe teaches us something different. It recalibrates perspective. It quiets noise. It creates the space where clarity lives.

So as you step into 2026, don’t just schedule meetings and milestones. Schedule moments of wonder. Grab a seat in the Awe Theater. Pause long enough to notice what’s already working.

That’s the Awe Advantage.

Own the day. Own the weekend.

Carl