Are You Living in the Now?

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle

What’s your most precious commodity?

It’s time. Because, once you lose it, you never get it back.

Goals are about the future. And this time of year is an ideal time to imagine the future.

But to set and achieve goals, you must first learn the power of the present. Most people fail to achieve their goals due to their failure to live in the “now.” People who live in the now unleash the power of the present. Larry Mahan, an icon in competitive rodeos echoes these sentiments as he compares horses to people. “Horses live in the moment,” Mahan says. “Our minds, bodies and spirits may be in control, but we do not live in the moment. We think too often about what happened yesterday and what’s going to happen tomorrow.” As he instructs people on riding, he says, “We try to teach people to be in total control of their energy, and the horses help. A horse will let you know when it is stressed by the way it reacts to you. It will be a reflection on your energy level.”

Even as we look to the New Year ahead, living in the now is necessary, because the past is over — there’ s no changing it. The future is an illusion — and so uncertain. You can’t foresee it. We have only the present within our grasp and, God willing, it’s the only moment we influence at some level.

By focusing on the present, we commit ourselves to change and to success—particularly if we practice intentional gratitude in that moment. This attitude embraces the idea that when we act today and honor our commitments, we will succeed. But plans dissolve when:

• Goals are abstract.
• We live in the past and simply dream of the future.
• We don’t adjust our behavior to make the required changes.
• We don’t recognize that what we do today makes a difference toward achieving our goals.

Give up the excuses. Discard the alibis. It’s time to take action.

Be clear. Be specific. Be accountable. Set deadlines. Write it down.

Achieving your goals in the New Year starts now. What will you do now?