Problem of The Present

We have a difficult time remaining in the present

Answer this question for me:

We all take pictures and in that moment, we cannot be anywhere else besides in that picture. Can the man pictured below do the same?

Where else can we be? If you're reading this now you cannot be anywhere else at this moment. You can leave my page but as long as your eyes are scrolling this post, this is your life at the present moment.

The present as a gift has become pure cliche and because of this, the merit is lost. We only rectify the meaningfulness when a life is lost that was once close to us. Seemingly the next day we go back to stressing over the past and pondering the future that never goes exactly how we planned.

Missing Out on Life

When I was training with George Mangum back in 2010 he preached to me about "winnable moments." We would go through rigorous training sessions and speak of how our lives are comprised of winnable moments that create the path we call our future. George's speech has never left me and I have done my diligence to apply this concept to all areas of life. 

It is evident that the nature of us living in the past is losing the power of the present and in turn flushing our current state of life away. We become anxious of the future cause we want it to be a certain way or we want to be there NOW. Our futures are laid out, brick by brick, by "winnable moments" we string together, not by constantly pondering it anxiously.

The Past

Is a great memory bank to pull experience and clarity from. The past represents the details of where we come from but no longer exists currently.  But remember, the past was once our present and the former "present" time is what has lead us to the great or negative position we are in now. Either way we do not live there anymore. You can't win the current moment living in another. 

The Future

In high school you could not tell me that I would do anything other than play basketball. Playing professionally was something I felt was so real I could taste it. Reality sure did hit me as I am now writing to you, coaching others into better health while lifting weights for a living. I cannot complain, I love my life but my experience has taught me that stressing over the future is a poor way to spend our energy since our future never pans out exactly how we plan it. We can only work towards a concept of the future we want by being diligent  in the present.

The Present

The best gift we have ever known. But we take it for granted so much and we pay for it time and time again. To encapsulate my message for the present, I will leave this merit of thought that some of you may have already read from me before:

To Conclude

I'll leave the token of wisdom that I took from training with George and drive in that our present is the only moment we have to win. Stringing together our winnable moments can only place us in the positions that we either desire or hope to work towards. Life is now. Each moment is now. Love it. Nourish it. Win it. But most of all, Live it.