The Best Way To Manage The Future Is One Day At A Time
In honor of President’s Day and the upcoming Monday Holiday here in the U.S., please enjoy the following quote which is one of my favorite Presidential Quotes!
ADVANCE CONFIDENTLY!
“The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.” ~Abraham Lincoln
As human beings, many of us have a tenancy to see things as worse than they are. Some have a predisposition to see things as much better than they are. Others seem to be indifferent and engage instead in magical thinking neither acknowledging the facts nor honoring the truth about what is known.
The best advice on this subject I ever remember hearing came from the great leader and business philosopher, Mr. Jim Rohn. He suggested, as it relates to the future, that we see it as it is but no worse than it is.
I recently found another article on Medium while searching for a quote which I believe is worth a read, so I have included it here for your review and hope it adds some value to both this article and your life.
A modern take on the expression from Mr. Rohn comes from Jordan Belfort who said:
“You need to see things as they are, not worse than they are, then see them better than they are, and make them that way.” ~Jordan Belfort
I don’t know Mr. Belfort but I have a feeling he’s the kind of individual who would readily embrace the idea behind the following quote about roses. Who knows for sure but he obviously found a way to turn his Wolf of Wall Street real life story into something other than thorns…
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” -Unknown, often misattributed to Mr. Lincoln
This quote, unfortunately often credited to one of my favorite Presidents, captures the absolute essence of perception! OK, I admit it also captures some other elements as well… Like, Optimism! And maybe even Attitude! Yes, seeing roses on a thorn bush is indicative of a positive attitude! Also, seeing roses on a thorn bush is probably a characteristic of an optimist. Which is interesting upon reflection in and of itself, for many viewed Lincoln as having a pessimistic nature even though he was incredibly optimistic about what he believed was possible for our great nation. Dichotomy? Who knows?
What is undeniable though, was his tenacious nature. Lincoln never gave up! He failed again and again at many things, but there was no quit in him! His early political career was an absolute failure. However, he never quit! Many credit his greatest Presidential achievements to his determination, persistence, and sheer will… Many have also said, had there been a different President in office during the Civil War, we would live in a much different country today… Who knows for sure?
What is incontrovertible, was Lincoln’s ability to communicate effectively!
On November 19, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln delivered The Gettysburg Address. This speech was by far the most famous speech ever given by the President. The speech was presented in literally less than three minutes time. Many have stated that those who recounted the events of the day suggested the speech seemed much longer because there was a sense that when he spoke, “time literally stood still.” The speech was only 272 words long, but what it lacked in length, it made up at least ten-fold in content! The speech was originally given as a dedication to the Gettysburg Civil War Cemetery; It is credited with being the speech that began the healing of a Nation…
At the Inauguration of our current President, another speech was given by a very young, very promising poet laureate. The words of Amanda Gorman in her poem “The Hill We Climb” might just be the speech to once again begin the healing of a Nation.
Healing will happen the same way we live out our lives. It will happen the same way the future unfolds. It will happen “One Day At A Time.”
An additional resource on leadership from Jim Rohn/SUCCESS magazine:
Keep Pedaling, Keep Going, Keep Growing!
Advance Confidently!
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In Gratitude,
Bobby-
