Are you always hoping or planning to find a better house, better job, or better income?
Does it seem that the future holds a time when you will be more fulfilled, happier, and more prosperous?
Human beings are creatures of desire, and most of us are always wanting something.
It’s good to set goals and want to evolve, become more resilient, be more aware and compassionate, be more effective, and create something of value.
But the older I get, the more I realize that the day will never come when I am totally satisfied—unless I switch the focus to the actions I take today rather than the results I may hope to achieve.
While life is always moving forward, and we are part of the flow of this greater stream, there is no moment when everything will be completed. Yes, particular projects may be completed or abandoned, money will be gained or lost, and we will be born and die. As for what the final results of any of these events are, no one knows. But it’s been my experience that while I can’t have expectations, I also I can’t give up.
British leader Winston Churchill famously said, “Success is never final, and failure is never fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” Gains can be reversed, losses can become gains, and life propels us forward.
Believing there is a purpose and meaning to my life is what gives me the courage to continue and to create. It’s hard to keep trying when long-term goals appear elusive. If you focus only on the result and it seems a long way off, you might believe there is no point in your work, and everything can seem futile.
But if you focus on the day-to-day actions you take, then you can go to bed satisfied that you’ve done all you could.
Consider that you are not only working on an external goal but building an inner core of strength and resilience. In that case, when you keep on going in the face of adversity, you are evolving and contributing to your own transformation and to the ongoing forward movement of all of life.
Ancient philosophers and modern physicists agree that creation didn’t happen just once; it is an ongoing process.
You are part of this ongoing creation, and how you act today brings about a transformed life tomorrow. But it’s a paradox because this can only happen when you focus on the actions rather than the results.
“Don’t wait to be successful at some future point. Have a successful relationship with the present moment and be fully present in whatever you are doing. That is success.”
–Eckhart Tolle
