The challenges of being an entrepreneur are endless. It's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of future projections and past failures. However, let me share a timeless principle with you—one that might reshape the way you navigate your entrepreneurial journey: Your future, as an entrepreneur, is not tomorrow or next year – it’s right now, in this very moment, waiting to be crafted by the decisions you make, the relationships you nurture, and the presence you bring to each second of the journey.
Forget the past, your future is now.
Imagine your entrepreneurial journey as a painting. Each stroke of the brush contributes to shaping the masterpiece. And like the stroke of a brush, each decision, each relationship, each interaction plants the seed of your future. This concept might be obvious to you, but its implications are nevertheless profound in its effect. Consider the decisions you make daily—big and small. Consider the direction of your business, the products you design and develop, the team you assemble, what your business and brand stands for, to whom it matters, and how your desired image and reputation shapes your future business success. These decisions can only be made in the present. It's easy to become fixated on the grand vision and long-term goals, but it's the daily decisions that accumulate and shape the narrative of your life and business success. Your future isn't a distant horizon; it's embedded in the choices you make now in the present–with what you have and from where you sand right now. Forget the past, your future is now.
Forget the past.
As an entrepreneur, it's tempting to dwell on past successes or failures, allowing them to dictate the narrative of what’s the right decision or what's to come. Here's the liberating truth: past success or failure does not determine future success or failure. If you will pardon yet another platitude, it’s all water under the bridge. The only way the past gets to the future is through the now. Now is all you have and all you will ever have. Indeed, the past can be a valuable teacher, offering experience to inform your decisions, but it has no power or influence to predict the outcome of your journey.
This manifesto principle and its kissing cousin “Begin now with what’s at hand” declares a timeless truth about the essence of creativity—it flourishes exclusively in the present moment. Author and philosopher Eckhart Tolle, encapsulates the idea that the transformative power of creativity can only be harnessed in the now. One of his pivotal insights is that the present moment is the only time where true transformation and creativity can unfold. His wisdom resonates harmoniously with this manifesto principle, reinforcing the idea that creativity isn't a future aspiration or a product of the past; rather, it’s an immediate, living force that can only be accessed in the present. The good news is everything you will ever require to fulfill your desire can only be found in the moment. And in the moment, there is no shortage of supply. What ever is at hand is all you need to take your life and business to the next level.
Forget the future too.
As entrepreneurs it's easy to fall into the trap of viewing the future as a distant destination—an endpoint to be reached. My philosophical point here is there is no future you can experience. You can only live in and experience your current state. Forget worrying about the future. Your future is not a destination you're striving to reach; it's a journey you're living right now. The quality of your presence in each moment holds the transformative power to shape not only your personal experience but also the very fabric of your workplace, team relationships, and the overall influence and impact your business provides to customers. Consider your entrepreneurial journey as a tapestry woven in real-time, with each decision, interaction, and moment contributing to the intricate design of your desired future.
Your desired future is not a static or fixed point out there somewhere on the horizon—it's a nonstop reality being crafted with each breath you take in the present moment. One moment flowing into the next. Time marches on. Time is the only precious resource we humans have. What we do with our limited resource of time can sometimes be wasted regretting the past or worrying about the future. In the pursuit of entrepreneurial goals, a mindful presence on the value of time invites you to pause, acknowledge, and express gratitude for the successes thus far—both big and small. This nurtures a positive creative mindset (thinking in a certain way) for you, but also fuels the motivation and enthusiasm of an appreciative workplace culture.
Infusing every moment of your entrepreneurial journey with your purpose becomes a natural outcome of your mindful presence. Purpose is woven into the daily fabric of your decisions and actions in real time. Your ability to stay present connected to the deeper meaning and purpose behind your business, communicating its value to customers and clients, to your team, plants the seeds of a bigger future. The idea being your desired future can only be realized in the present moment. This principle emphasizes the power of mindfulness, authenticity, and discipline in life and business success.
In crafting your future, embrace the uncertainty of the moment. You can't control or predict every twist and turn of the marketplace, nor should you try. The juice and joy of entrepreneurship lies in the unknown possibilities that each day brings. Rather than worrying about the past or obsessing over an uncertain future, focus on the canvas before you—on the decisions, relationships, and outcomes that you can shape right now. As you live in your days, remember you hold the brush to your canvas. Paint boldly, decide intentionally. Nurture relationships authentically and be fully present to suck as much joy out of each and every moment you are blessed with.
This is a chapter excepted from my forthcoming book "The White Hot Center Manifesto". If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to my blog in the form below.