The life of a successful entrepreneur hinges upon finding the proper balance between planning for your business’s long-term growth and taking advantage of each moment’s opportunities. Entrepreneurs are dreamers at heart; they recognize the seeds of the future in everything they see. We can easily lose track of the today that we’ve buried under our plans for tomorrow. As entrepreneurs, and as people, we should be mindful to appreciate the Now for its power in the moment, as well as its ability to affect our future.
I’ve written a little about my childhood in Believe in More. When I was a kid I lived with my grandmother—I call her “Granny”—but I’d spend a month during the summer with Grandpa Tom at his farm. Grandpa Tom wasn’t any more comfortable watching over a rambunctious young boy as I was hanging out all summer with a stubborn old man, but he did everything he could to make me feel comfortable and welcomed. Granny knew how important it was for me to spend time with him, to learn the “manly” things I needed to learn, so she insisted I stay for the whole month, even though I often secretly called her on Grandpa Tom’s old rotary phone and begged her to come pick me up.
Days on the farm started early: up at 4:00 am, coffee pot on, AM radio crackling, we’d make our way out to Grandpa Tom’s garden. One of our first chores of the day was squashing the tomato bugs as we walked. “Jack,” he’d ask me, “did you squash that one?” He didn’t want me to miss a bug.
I’m remembering those mornings as I think about how important it is to stay focused on the Now while planning for the future. Those simple walks through the garden are the perfect example of how we can experience each moment to the fullest while still taking steps toward ensuring the future. There I was with my grandpa in the cool, clear mid-Michigan morning. The soil of a garden at that time of day smells so rich, so full of promise. Grandpa Tom was there to remind me not to miss a bug—one bug that’s such a tiny detail on a farm—because one bug can go a long way toward killing a tomato plant. Being mindful in the present would ensure the harvest’s future.
Grandpa Tom wasn’t teaching me this lesson to prepare me to be a successful entrepreneur. He was teaching me to become a successful person. The small choices we make in the Now reverberate across the rest of our lives. We are wise to understand the impact they can have going forward. But we are also smart to not lose track of the Now for its own power. While I squashed bugs to ensure the healthy tomatoes of tomorrow, I was able to enjoy the time I spent with Grandpa Tom, the beauty of his farm, and the feeling I got from being there at that moment.
One of the Core Values we follow at Total Life Changes is “Grateful Is Our Mindset.” By remembering that, I do a better job of remaining appreciative of all the little blessings I encounter each and every day. Our company encourages all of our employees, partners, and customers to see the great things happening in the Now.
Successful entrepreneurs find ways to live in the Now. They watch the details. They enjoy the presence of good people. They find the time to drink the coffee, take a walk, and squash the bugs. Tend the garden today to ensure its growth in the future.
Jack Fallon
