The Perfect Time's Now

What you long for

What you are longing for is already here. How could you know it so intimately if it was not a part of you even now?

What separates you from your dream? It is nothing more than your resistance to accepting it and living it.

What you long for is not to be found in some object or location or set of circumstances. It is within you.

Go ahead and let it out. Go ahead and let it be.

No amount of misfortune or disappointment can tarnish the values you hold most dearly. Step gracefully and confidently forward knowing that you and your dreams are always intact, no matter which way the world may go.

Live the joy that is in what you long for. It is real, it is here, and it is you. 

The power of truth

The more completely you live in truth, the more fully you will connect to and realize your best possibilities. Truth will show you who you are, and enable you to go where you most sincerely wish to go.

Truth is not always the easiest or most convenient choice, and it can often be painful. Yet in the long run, truth never fails to be the best course.

When you seek to avoid the truth, you’ll put a great amount of effort into a pursuit that will take you backwards. Instead, work your way willingly toward truth at every opportunity, and you’ll always be making real progress.

Those who fight against the truth are fighting a losing battle. Use every opportunity, in every moment, to put yourself on the side of truth.

Deception costs much and gains nothing of any value. Truth sets you free to achieve, to learn, to experience, express and fulfill the best that is within you.

Be true to yourself, to others, to the world around you and to all of life. Truth will always keep you looking and moving forward. 

Not that difficult

It’s not that difficult to be disciplined. It’s just a matter of choosing to be, again and again.

It’s not that difficult to avoid destructive habits. In fact, all you really must do is nothing.

It’s not that difficult to take positive, productive action. You simply choose to put yourself into motion.

Success is not that difficult. It’s mainly a matter of doing it, and you’re completely capable of doing whatever is necessary.

Your willingness is the most important factor. And willingness comes when you connect to a solid, meaningful reason why.

Discipline, integrity and effective action are tools that you can use at any time and in any situation to achieve valuable results. Follow a purpose that is truly yours, and it’s not that difficult at all. 

Do more

Do more than merely getting through this day. Jump into it fully with vigor and enthusiasm.

Do more than merely getting through your work. Find real joy in making a difference.

When the purpose behind each day is just to get it over with, that dismal purpose can begin to take over your whole life. By contrast, when you put a little bit of joy and positive purpose into each moment, you get a whole lot of great and wonderful things filling your world.

It only takes a fraction of a second to change your whole life and your whole world for the better. Are you ready to go beyond merely surviving and to fill each thought, each word, each action with the most magnificent possibilities of life?

Life is exactly the way you choose to see it. Wherever you may be, whatever you may be doing, you have the opportunity to immediately and completely make life truly great.

Open your eyes, look around, and awaken to all the best possibilities. Now is when you can live with all the richness you’re able to imagine. 

The root of desire

Most of the things you think you desire are only shallow substitutes for what you truly would like to have. Learn to look past each immediate, superficial wish to uncover the real, profound and fulfilling desire beyond it.

There’s no sense spending your time, effort and resources in pursuit of things that are not even what you genuinely desire. Look instead at the root of each desire and put your energy into what you truly wish to bring about in your life.

The things you crave may satisfy you momentarily, yet they cannot fulfill your deepest desires. By giving in to your cravings, you’re actually pushing yourself further and further away from what you truly wish to have.

Choose to raise your expectations. Instead of merely chasing pleasures that quickly fade, work on creating joys that do not end.

Instead of diversions that just amuse you, create experiences that wholly fulfill you. There’s no need to settle for substitutes when an authentically meaningful life is yours to live.

Look for the root of each desire. Discover and fulfill the person you truly wish to be. 

Persistence

If you’re not ready to climb a mountain, then see if you can walk up a gentle hill. If you’re not ready to walk up a hill, then set out to take a leisurely stroll.

If you’re not able to walk that far, then you can take a single step. After taking that step you’ll likely find that you’re ready to take another.

If you have trouble imagining yourself reaching your goal, then imagine yourself taking one small, simple action in the direction of that goal. Imagine it, and then do it.

After that first step, there will be another one you can take, something that’s a little bit more challenging and yet not overwhelming. Keep it up, and soon the ultimate goal begins to come into view.

Anything can be accomplished if you are willing to keep taking the next step when it is time to do so. What you lack in brute strength, or resources, or knowledge, or skills, you can make up for with persistence.

You absolutely can get where you choose to go, step after step after persistent step. And now is the perfect time to begin. 

No limitations

If all your limitations were suddenly removed, what would you do? If you were able to make absolutely anything happen, what would it be?

If there were no challenges standing in your way, where would you go? With absolutely nothing holding you back, what would your life become?

It’s easy to get so caught up in pushing against your limitations that you start seeing yourself solely in terms of those limitations. Yet you are so very much more.

Instead of identifying yourself in relation to the challenges you face, dig deeper and find the real person inside. For the truth is, you exist apart from any challenge or limitation, and it is a powerful exercise to get solidly in touch with who you are.

Yes, there will always be obstacles and limiting factors. And the best way to get beyond them is by knowing that they do not define you.

Imagine a world with no limitations, and discover who you are in such a world. One by one, the challenges will fade in the distance as you express the limitless vision that is yours to live.

— Ralph Marston