Let this sink in: Everything that you want to build in the future is contained in the current you.
Why?
Because the future is an imaginary place, where it only exists in your mind. It may even be shared in the collective minds of the people you’re surrounded by or even by societal agreements. This can be dangerous; feeding an ego that is always trying to take you away from true awareness. It may lead us to believe that we have done the work required to truly make those visions possible, even when we have not.
We may think that it is real but it can actually hinder you from realizing your true vision.
Only your direct actions can lead to making your life situation great.
The right here and now is all you really have. This is why when we procrastinate, it’s rooted in thinking we can put off current tasks and eventually get them done in the future. You must ask yourself, what future? This future lives only in our minds, and if we spent too much time there, nothing really gets done. (Unless you plan for it with the Multi-Scale Planning method.)
Remember, the future is a hypothetical best case. What is really going to change then that will make it better than right now? Nothing.
Stop waiting for better.
Now is more important.
Doing the work right now adds up to the success of the future you. Don’t delay your goals as there will never be a perfect time to begin. Every step you can take right now is what truly matters. Your vision is just a direction. Everything else needs to be done now. If your current actions do not lead to a future destination, it may just be a distraction.
Here are some examples of steps you can take right now, that will inch you closer to your goals:
- Writing a word. A word will turn into a series of words, which will result in writing an article.
- Talking to a potential client. A talk that could lead to a discovery call. A discovery call can lead to a sale. A sale which will lead to your business growing.
The above examples are the steps that need to be done now. Do not worry about if you’ll win. Only focus on the steps you are taking now that can lead to your long term vision. However, it is important to note that you should not treat these steps as a path to your future (I know we all consider the future more important, but what are we doing if we aren’t putting in efforts today to have a better tomorrow?)
These steps are the most important because this present moment is all you truly have and what you can truly do. What matters is right now.
I always mention blocking out time to our clients. The time you block is telling yourself that what you need to do is what is important. And you need to treat that time with the focus and presence of mind to actually create value for the world. The work does not happen in the future, it happens in the very moments you give to it.
This is why the future can only be created from the effort you put in right now. If you don’t give your goals enough “NOW”, there will never be a “Future” in your life.