Imagine that you have finally arrived at your destination. You made it. You know you made it because your annual revenue goal has been over reached, your employees has gotten increased, your clients are recommending your company to their friends, you are able to pay yourself more salary than last year and most importantly, your inner self is in peace in align with your accomplishments. All of a sudden you notice some decline on your revenue. Not much, but things aren’t supposed to go that way. 5 of your well-trusted employees who has been doing an amazing job tell you that they do not feel valued in your company and decide to switch to a company you have been tie to tie for the last 2 years. You receive lower ratings on your website and some of your clients start to send you emails about how they are not satisfied enough with your services. You are not able to afford yourself and your partner the holiday you promised to have for the summer, because the annual revenue you had in mind did not turn into be the reality of your current situation. And most importantly, your inner peace has been shaken with a hard slap of your reality on your face. 

What is the current reality of many entrepreneurs now? We tend to determine our present moment based on our reactions to our past experiences, or based on our own predictions of both our and others futures. We are constantly living in the past which can be full of achievements and disappointments, and decide that our present is attached to them. Many startups fail because they forget to focus in the present moment, acknowledge where they currently are now, but they are too focused on their future image and where the company is. Don’t get me wrong that you shouldn’t be visioning yourself in the future, but the goal is not the end goal, it is the journey.   

An article called “Don’t Forget the importance of Living in the Now” published by Entrepreneur magazine explains the importance of living in the present moment as:

“We decide not to give our all at work until a problem arises. We wait to tell those we love most how much they really mean to us until we come face to face with death. We forget about our most important values and priorities all to make a living or get an extra bonus.” ( Mayberry 2015 )

One of the most important skills an entrepreneur must have, but many do not talk about is that the past and the future is nothing more than a human memory, and what determines our destinations in the future is the actions we take now. A good exercise for you to understand whether you are a present moment entrepreneur is to track your thoughts and determine how frequently you are thinking of the future, the present and the past. And are your actions motivated by which timeline. It is a very great exercise for anyone who is willing to appreciate their presence in the moment and appreciate the line they are standing on without being judgmental to their current state of living. 

Do you know that feeling when you tell yourself I can do some of the tasks that I planned for today tomorrow, or when the time feels so infinite that the present moment does not matter? The time feels infinite, because it is infinite in the very present moment we are in, but the infinite includes the actions you take now as well. If you are constantly avoiding something to do at a later time it is very likely that the alter ego is being against it, and it is why the brain procrastinates it. We are aware of the actions we do not take, but our egos are fighting against to accept it. 

Not focusing on your present and acknowledging your real presence will lead a startup or a giant company in decline. As an example, Nokia was the tech giant but they did not want to implement the touch screen on their phones. They have a very well trusted clients base, why would they need to implement other technologies? So as a result, they were too focused on their past accomplishments and did not consider the current presence of their environment. If you focus too much on the past then this is where you will be left by the people who determine their future by their actions taken right now. An article called “Why Practicing Mindfulness in Daily Life Is Invaluable For Entrepreneurs” published by Entrepreneur magazine explains how to be more present and more mindfull as:

“whenever you can, bring your attention to the present moment. This means being aware of what is happening around you and within you without getting lost in your thoughts or devices around you. Try the following ways to practice mindfulness in the present moment.” ( Kaur 2022 )

A reminder to every aspiring entrepreneur is that, the present moment should feel like you have already arrived your destination and your actions are enough, because you are giving your full focus in ever moment of your present. 

Kaur, G. 2022. Why Practicing Mindfulness in Daily Life Is Invaluable For Entrepreneurs. Read on 30.11. 2022. Link:

https://www.entrepreneur.com/living/why-practicing-mindfulness-in-daily-life-is-invaluable-for/427486

Mayberry, M. 2015. Don’t Forget the importance of Living in the Now. Read on 30.11.2022. Link:https://www.entrepreneur.com/living/dont-forget-the-importance-of-living-in-the-now/248096