Choosing to Live in the Now

This week we’ve talked about a lot — fearing success, fearing loss, fearing failure, and chasing perfection. And underneath all of it has been one thread: pre-living outcomes.

Whether we imagine ourselves winning big or losing everything… whether we picture total disaster or flawless perfection… we’re still doing the same thing — living in a future that hasn’t happened yet.

And here’s the cost: every minute we spend in a “what if” world is a minute we’re not fully living the real one.

I wish I could tell you I never slip into pre-living anymore. I still do. The difference now is I’m learning to notice it sooner and ask myself, What’s the next faithful step right here, right now? Not the perfect step. Not the step that guarantees the outcome I want. Just the one that’s in front of me.

Sometimes that looks like sending the email.
Sometimes it’s making the phone call.
Sometimes it’s resting, trusting that rest is also a faithful step.

And sometimes it’s choosing to risk failure — or risk looking foolish — because that’s the only way to open the door to what could be.

Living in the now isn’t irresponsibility. It’s faith in action. It’s choosing gratitude over fear, courage over control, presence over perfection.

And yes, I know — it’s hard to stay in the present. In our high-achieving, competitive culture, it almost feels irresponsible. Everywhere I turn, I hear, “You need a one-year, five-year, ten-year plan!” or “Your goals need to be SMART!” But here’s the truth: whether your goal is one, five, or ten years away, you can only live it one day at a time.

Your mind can run scenarios for 365 days, or an AI program can generate 365 questions, but the calendar still moves one day at a time, twenty-four hours at a time. Slow, steady progress will move you closer to the outcomes you desire far more than shaping and reshaping your plans until you think they’re perfect. Perfection doesn’t exist.

So make a plan, start your actions, and move forward from there — one faithful step at a time.

Reflection Question:
What’s one small step you can take today to live fully in the moment you’ve actually been given?