Today, while waiting for my car after servicing at the workshop, I came across a simple tagline that stopped me in my tracks: “Being Alert is Being Awesome.” It felt like a safety reminder – yet the more I thought about it, the more I realised it’s a life principle.
Being alert isn’t just staying awake or cautious. It’s being present, aware, and responsive – the difference between average outcomes and exceptional ones.
Why Alertness Matters:
Prevents mistakes: Most costly errors come from small lapses of attention.
Strengthens relationships: Alert leaders notice not just words but tone, emotion, and intent—building trust.
Boosts performance: Athletes, doctors, pilots, and security professionals excel by anticipating, adapting, and acting at the right moment.
Creates joy: Alertness helps you notice small, meaningful moments—a smile, a learning, an opportunity.
Enemies of Alertness:
Overconfidence: “I know this already.”
Distractions: Notifications and endless scrolling.
Fatigue and stress: A tired mind cannot focus.
Routine blindness: Familiar tasks that hide new risks or ideas.
How to Build the Habit:
Practice mindfulness: Short pauses to observe your breath and surroundings.
Sleep and move: Rest well; stay physically active.
Single-task: Do one thing at a time – depth over speed.
Stay curious: Ask questions; confirm assumptions.
Notice details: Train yourself to spot one new thing in a familiar place each day.
For the Security World (and Beyond):
In the Private Security Industry, alertness is non-negotiable. Technology—AI cameras, IoT sensors, RTLS—can enhance alertness, but it cannot replace the human eye, intuition, and presence of mind. The strongest systems come from alert people supported by smart technology.
Truth is, this applies everywhere: in leadership, at home, on the road, in our communities.
Closing Thought:
That workshop tagline got it right. Alertness is not paranoia; it’s paying attention with purpose.
It prevents mistakes, unlocks opportunities, deepens relationships—and yes, it makes life richer.
So, next time you’re waiting – at a service centre, in a queue, or for a meeting to start – practice the pause. Look around. Notice more. Decide better.
Being Alert is Being Awesome.
About.
Plackeel Kurian Kurian. Growth & P&L Strategist | Operational Excellence Leader | ASIS Member | Business Transformation Expert | https://www.linkedin.com/in/pkkurian/
