There’s a list things that crave your worry. Don’t give it to them.
There are things that beg for your control. Keep your control to yourself.
There are 10,000 days ahead of you—maybe more, maybe less—each with something for you to think about. Do not think much of these days and the things in them.
Break Free from the Prison of Trying to Live 10,000 Days in One
Keep your focus right here.
The stress, frustration, and doom on the horizon can only exist when you leave today and try to live in the Great Then and There.
Be tenacious in staying in this day and this day only. Those other days hold nothing for you right now. And who knows, you may never even get around to seeing ’em. You might die before you do. Don’t die without having lived today.
When you visit those days, you lose this one. Your mission is to take this 24-hour period, realize that it is all you have—that it’s all there is and all there will ever be—and give it everything you’ve fucking got.
Even if that everything is just enjoying a sandwich, walking the dog, or watching your favorite television show. Whatever you do, do it with 100% of your being. Lose yourself in it, and let it rip away your stories of tomorrow and yesterday and become your single point of focus.
You’ll be surprised just how much better the sandwich will taste.
Today is not a stepping stone or a rung on a ladder. It’s not something to check off on a list, “X” off on a calendar, or to get through.
It’s all there fucking is.
And when you trade it away like a junkie at a pawn shop, you not only further feed your addiction to tomorrow, you miss all the beauty, tragedy, and adventure that today has in store for you.
Today holds great mysteries for you to solve, truths to uncover, lessons to learn, realities to visit, and experiences to have—even in the mundane, the trivial, and the tedious.
I don’t claim to know much—and most of what I think I know, I have a strong suspicion I am wrong about.
But if there is one thing I know with absolute certainty, it’s that all we have is the time between when we woke up from our dreams this morning until we rest our head on our pillow tonight to greet them once again.
Everything outside of that is an exercise in futility, frustration, and agonizing self-defeat.
Tomorrow is the greatest loss of all—the loss of today, the only thing there is. So don’t go there yet, at least not until it’s today.
Tomorrow is a prison.
But today, you are free.
Talk soon,
Big Chris (=
Word! Thanks, man. I needed this today.
Hell, I need it everyday 😉
True dat!
Thanks Big Chris! I needed this just as you posted it! 🙂 Have a spectacular Monday!
Gotta learn how to stay in the “now”
Fuck dude….just fuck. With the best of intentions!
JFDI! Just Fuckin’ Do It!
Timely advice Chris. Thanks!
Great post! I’m sure you’ve read it, but if you haven’t, The Art Of Power, by Thich Nhat Hanh is an amazing book on mindfulness and true power.
Have a wonderful day,
DCJG
Hi Chris,
I discovered your blog/website just last week and love your outlook and style of writing! Will be here often!
Gotta keep the focus on having a bad ass day. Easy to forget, but never regretted when remembered. Thanks Chris.
Awesome Chris! People sometimes use the phrase, “I am just killing time”. I have never liked those words. It is the opposite philosophy of what you wrote above, namely, to live every moment with passion, with love, to the fullest!
Thank you Chris!
Actually, there is not even 24 hours…just the Now. How do you measure the Now? It is not even a Second long, as everything that takes longer than a second is already just a trace in our memory. We just have this very thin and great moment of NOW.
No matter what kind of problems we have, we only have to deal with them “split-second by split-second” in the Now and for that EVERYBODY has strength to deal with shit for just a split-second 😉
Thank you, again and again for this. Since I’ve started following your blog, I have gone through several ups and downs, and your blogs help me see exactly what I need to see. It’s a slow process, yet progress none the less, so I’m pretty damn thankful. Just for today…
Thanks, Chris, I really enjoy your blog, your honesty, and your approach.
you’re a master of our time!! thanks
Your posts help me cope with everyday life, I hope soon I can make a BIG impact, Big Chris
No doubt you just have a way with words and your insights make my life all the richer….indebted to you man.
I needed this today….after reading everyone elses comments apparently they all did too. We all get so caught up in whats to happen in the next few days/weeks/months…we forget to stop enjoy the moments in the day…knowing that it’s going to be snowing again this weekend, I have reminded myself to take advantage of the 60-70 degrees and sunshine we are experiencing now.Somedays I get so lost in my training that I forget to remember why I even run in the first place… you always seem to help me put it in to perspective. 🙂 Kudos to you doll.
Chris, Thank you for Sharing.Loving what is! Nothing more, nothing less!
Big Chris,
Dude, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again … You are one smart BAD ASS MOTHERFUCKER!
Big John Mann
Preach it, Chris! 🙂
Hey guys, thank you soooo much for all these awesome comments, they mean a lot to me and I appreciate you taking the time to leave them (=
Excellent words man. If I got hung up on all the times I have been screwed over by people since starting my business, I would never get anything done. All that really matters is what is going on right now, what is in your control.
G R A V I T Y
You Kick Ass Chris! Thanks for making my day 🙂
Re-reading Eckhart’s Power of Now’ as we speak….perfect timing
I always enjoy reading your “inspirational ideas and thoughts.” You are one of the people that makes a difference in peoples lives just by sharing your thoughts. That is a lot of power for good!