Tomorrow is Today
One thing that 2020 has brought into sharp focus for me is the "fierce urgency of now". All too often, we get caught up in a time trap. We say we do not have enough time to get things done. We think we have enough time and wait until the last minute. Or, we allow time to pass us by engaging in mindless activity. The truth is, we only have this current moment. This moment makes it is incumbent upon us to be purposeful and intentional in taking positive action.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said,
“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there "is" such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”
In order to maximize the moment and take vigorous, positive action, we must start with a plan.
Planning is a critical step that often goes overlooked because it requires our TIME. We also have a tendency to view planning as being still or unproductive. This couldn't be further from the truth. Planning is the most important vigorous and positive action we can take. It is important to approach and invest as much, and probably more, time in the planning as we do in the execution or implementation process. Now is the perfect time to go back to the drawing board. We must:
Assess our current plans,
Revise our plans, and
Devise new plans.
While there is an urgency around action, without the right plan, we can move 90 miles per minute while staying in place or going in circles. Remember, we should not confuse action with progress.
Furthermore, with the right plan, we have all the time necessary to get things done, without the pressure of last-minute heroics, and with mindfulness not mindlessly.