Where are you going? Not, where are you going on your next appointment, or where are you going for dinner, or where are you going when you get to the mall? Ask yourself where you are headed in life. That’s a monumental question because it’s about your future.

Did you miss your quota last month, last year? Why? Are you blaming it on the economy, or the lingering result of a pandemic, or on the competition? What is a quota anyway? Is it a goal that someone else set for you? What have you set for yourself? Guess what, you create the hurdles, or you jump over them. It takes self-discipline to clarify your own ideas and goals, which form the basis for your future success. 

If you really want to know where you’re going, you have to understand where you’ve been and recognize where you are. The past provides you with knowledge, experiences, successes and failures, as well as opportunities and obstacles. Where you are, or the present, is what happened during the past thirty days, what’s happening today, as well as what’s going to happen within the next thirty days. It is a 30-60 day continuum. Where you’ll be, your future, is a culmination of your experiences, your being open to opportunities, your goals and dreams, your tolerance for risk, as well as your determination and focus.

What once was is the sum of your knowledge, your wisdom, your experiences, your victories, and your failures. Looking back on the trajectory of your life, you remember things that you wanted keenly but never got. At the time you were probably upset, but upon reflection, it now seems frivolous that you ever wanted those things. You can also see things that you were given or that you earned, but once you received them, their importance lessened. Most importantly, you look at the risks you’ve taken, and, given the opportunity, you might not take them again. All this brings you to as is, the here and now.

Where you are today? Are you where you want to be? Are you happy? Are you blaming your lack of success on someone else? Have you found what you are looking for? Even if you’ve achieved what you set out to do, don’t stop moving forward; you can achieve a success beyond your expectations. It is the can be of your future. The present provides you with a singular opportunity. It’s about how you decide to invest your time and money. The time to act is now. The time to risk is now. The time to go for what you want is now, to reach the can be of your future. Success doesn’t just show up in the now, it comes as a result of hard work and focus in the now. Success is the can be!

What you can be will be a result of your hard work, your positive attitude, your passion, your focus on achievement, and your drive to not let things stand in your way, even if it means taking risks. When you combine once was, as is, and can be, the outcome is what you will become. Make all decisions based on the success you would like to achieve. Never stop learning, try your best, risk failure, seize opportunities, develop self-discipline, dedicate yourself, and make a commitment. And always believe that you can!