I frequently meet people who struggle with accomplishing goals in their lives, and yet they always begin by saying, “Tomorrow I will start.” Sadly, these people squander the precious, irreplaceable moments of their lives by playing the “tomorrow” game. Maybe you’ve heard them speak about how they will change their lives when they say:
“I’m going to start exercising… tomorrow.”
“I’m going to start saving for retirement… tomorrow.”
“I’m going to read that personal development book… tomorrow.”
“I’m going to make amends with a friend or loved one… tomorrow.”
“I’m going to volunteer with that charity… tomorrow.”
Playing the “Tomorrow” game is like chasing the horizon; no matter how fast you run, you can never catch it. In fact, you will NEVER reach tomorrow, because when you wake up in the morning, you have re-named “tomorrow”… and now it is called “today.”
Dale Carnegie says “One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today… Today is life – the only life you are sure of. Make the most of today. Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby. Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto.”
Tomorrow’s victory is preceded by today’s victory over ourselves. Jim Clemmer says that “life accumulate.” Every small decision we make today compounds to create our future reality.
If you want exceptional health tomorrow, choose today to eat an apple rather than a candy bar. Choose today to take the stairs instead of the escalator. If you want an exceptional marriage tomorrow, choose today to write a small note of thanks to your spouse and leave it on their pillow. Greet them with a kiss when they walk through the door. If you want exceptional savings, choose today to say “no” to that $3 coffee and put those extra coins in a jar. Put your hand up at work and volunteer to lead that new initiative. If you want exceptional success, choose to wake when the alarm clock goes off and read 15 minutes from an inspirational book.
My challenge to you is to take action TODAY. When inspiration strikes, make the resolution to start saying “I’ll do it NOW.” Decide which area of your life could benefit the most from improvement. What one small action could you take today to move in the direction of success? I invite you to email me directly at cj@cjcalvert.com with your new daily resolution. I promise to respond to you today!
Clear your mind, harness your strength, attract prosperity, and nurture your relationships today. Magically, the small victories you enjoy during each day will build upon one another, until one day you will wake up and discover you’ve created the life of your dreams, and you are living it… today.
CJ Calvert | Contributing Writer
CJ Calvert is a motivational speaker and author of Living an Exceptional Life. Visit him at cjcalvert.com.