NOW
We are told that focusing on the NOW….. and being in the PRESENT moment…. is the way to live a happy and fulfilled life.
Just the other day I watched a cat be mesmerised by its own reflection in a car windscreen; spending about 15 minutes walking back and forth on the car bonnet in utter awe at its own shadow. It was 100% immersed in the present moment and had no other care in the world!
You see, the fact that we can REFLECT on the past, IMAGINE the future and even be CONSCIOUS of our own thoughts is what distinguishes us from all other animals.
However, the fact that we can REGRET the past, so often FEAR the future and even be UNCONSCIOUS of our own thoughts; is the biggest curse we live with.
THEN
I’d now like you to IMAGINE……. a house in the country side…… the house sits on a plot of land……. the house is surrounded by an electric fence….. the land is surrounded by a lake…… in the lake there live 5 alligators…… a massive FIRE has just broken out in the house……
If I told you…… ‘here is a small boat and some fence cutters…… Ill give you €100 to go and put out the fire!’
What would you do?
Would you hesitate?
Would you stop for a moment before making your move? Most likely!
If I NOW told you that there is someone who you LOVE DEEPLY sound asleep in the house;
What would you do? ………………………………..
Now, THAT is PURPOSE!
Your INSTINCT, your INTUITION would have taken over your body and mind and you would have been half way across the lake by now! In that instant, your body, your mind, your spirit knew WHY it was about to do what it was about to do; and knew that nothing in this world could stop you.
This Powerful PURPOSE which originated from inside YOU ensured that your desire, your faith, your plan, your action were all unstoppable; and that you would achieve your outcome!
You see….. knowing your reason WHY….. the reason for doing what you do, for wanting what you want, and so on….. is at the TOP of all success formulas!
They say that true leaders live by a set of beliefs and values, which are the basis of their vision.
Jim Rohn said:
‘We all have a VISION, a dream for our future, a dream for our families.
But behind that must be a PURPOSE. A PURPOSE that does something to us, that pulls us, especially into the future.
There are many influences on us. Some people are pulled back by the past; some are pulled aside by distractions. But here is what is powerful… if you have high purpose in your life, it pulls you towards the future; and the more POWERFUL it is, the stronger it pulls!
It pulls you through all kinds of challenges and difficulties.
The more DYNAMIC and CLEAR it is, the more it affects your life, your spirit, your heart, your soul.
It gets your mind working on how to achieve that purpose; and if your mind works and if your heart works and if your spirit works, there is nothing that you can’t accomplish.
So that is one of the great forces that will make a difference in you; and that is PURPOSE.’
NOW OR THEN?
But… how can we live in the NOW and at the same time be thinking about our PURPOSE, Dreams and Vision which all happen to reside in the FUTURE?
Is there a contradiction here?
Our minds often bounce between the present and the future!
If we try to be in the present without any regard for our purpose & vision, or vice versa, motivation drops, procrastination rises, we live in our heads and our stress levels rise.
So ask yourself these questions… are the things which you are doing NOW taking you to where you want to go? Are you making the necessary adjustments? Are you doing all that it takes?
1.When the answer to these questions is YES, then there is BALANCE!
And as with everything in life, finding the right balance is the key to wellbeing. So let’s apply BALANCE to the time that our minds spend on past, present and future thoughts!
We can use Mindfulness and Meditation as tools to find this balance when we are spending too much time in the past or the future!
2.When we live in line with our highest VALUES, when we do what we love and love what we do, without realising it, we find balance! We find ourselves in the present, enjoying the journey as we PROGRESS successfully towards our FUTURE VISION! This is why Dr. John Demartini, in his book, The Values Factor, quoted Ferdinand Foch… ‘the most powerful weapon is the human soul on fire’.
3.In the same way we use DISCIPLINE in our daily lives, being disciplined enough to make the time to find balance is of utmost importance.
So Ladies & Gentlemen, is it NOW OR THEN? The answer is! It is both NOW & THEN!