I often talk about goals, and believe me they are incredibly important to the long-term realization of your vision. However, the attitude of the present is often overlooked. How can I get to my future goals? What do I need to do right now? What will be the end result? These are all fair questions to ask, but one of the first questions should be…Who do I have to be to accomplish this?
What is the mentality then? For me it is: Today, I am going to sacrifice for the betterment of tomorrow. This attitude has kept me in check for the longest time. It puts me in a place where I know I can overcome anything. I realize that any amount of pain I am current going through at take present moment can be overcome with the attitude of sacrifice. I expect the pain to come. I expect the trials and obstacles. When you go on a journey, and you don’t expect to get tested, that is when you are going to get blindsided. Any transformation in life follows the pattern of “it gets worse before it gets better.” Embrace it. If it’s not hurting a bit, it’s not working.
This mindset applies to live, the gym, and almost anything else. Never shortchange the importance of this moment. Really though, this moment is all you have. Nothing else is guaranteed. You can’t go to the past and change anything, and there is no tangible place called the future. All you have, is this moment, right here, right now. Give it the respect and appreciation it deserves.
“Where are you Dan?…..Here.”
“What time is it?……Now”
“Who are you?…….This moment”
– The Peaceful Warrior
So the next time you are struggling for the next 5 reps or to finish your work, take a split second to smile and appreciate the moment. I promise that it will put you in a good place.
Evan Sanders
The Better Man Project
Reblogged this on lymetakestime and commented:
“All you have, is this moment, right here, right now.” Amen, Evan. Amen.
Such a great post you all should take the time to check out.
Healing thoughts and prayers to all-
Kate
All of our experience occurs in the present moment. Our attitude is everything. When we seek to have a positive outlook while pursuing our future vision, we will enjoy the journey. If we make our satisfaction contingent on our future outcomes, we are more likely to be disappointed.
I love the title picture, says it all.
Thanks.
bless your heart.
Them there is wise words! 🙂 Stu
That’s a very good point to live in the moment. I have a lot of trouble doing this but if I take the time to look around me and be thankful for all that I have I find that it helps a lot. It’s just reminding myself to do it is a problem…
I am so happy you followed me. You took the words right out of my mouth. Lost for words.
love it!
Even, this is a great blog. I enjoy so much, I nominated it for the Kreativ Blogger Award. While this is simply a peer award, I feel it’s a great idea to let other bloggers know what they write stands out. Here’s a link to my nomination of your blog: http://poetryinblackandwhite.com/2012/02/20/kreativ-blogger-awardpoetry-in-black-and-white/
This is fantastic! I have lived this way for a long time and it is hard for some people to understand the value of embracing the good with the bad. You are right – the fact is all we have is this very moment, why not embrace it? I am able to speak now about the hardest moments in my life, the tragic, sad, hurtful, frightening, and desparate moments that most people would rather block out. Once I learned to embrace these things I was grateful for the depth of wisdom I gained from each experience. Appreciating the beauty of the fragility of life is liberating. It allows me to help others, accept anything that comes my way, and live a peaceful, joyful life.
I love how you apply it to working out! I wish I thought of that when I was taking Karate and my mantra was “what doesn’t kill me makes me strong” I never could quite appreciate the pain of pushing myself physically, luckily I did learn enough about myself to make even that experience worth it!
Thanks The Better Man Project. Your blog came at the right time and gave me the courage to plod on. I asked to mentor 4 young media women and converted my House to a Resource Centre and packed it with hundreds of Books from my store. Now 20 young women have showed up and I have taken them in too. My house is invaded but I know am preparing these young souls for a better future. Thank You.
Sacrifice is love. Keep this in mind-your posts take care of today for so many who read! Thanks. I want my daughter to let God send her the Better Man, when the time is right. You are wise and kind.
Reblogged this on Lara: On the Weigh Down and commented:
Over anything I could have shared with you today, this is the most important. Sacrificing in the present for the betterment of the “future self”. Your goal, your vision, of who you are working to be will all you and I to overcome the obstacles and difficulties that are simply part of the process. Let Evan says “Embrace” the transformation. Start today, then start again tomorrow, and keep going.
Thank you Evan. Really, really needed your wisdom today. Gotta do right by the “future self” by doing right in the present one.
Sweet!