The Life You Want Someday Begins Today

For far too long, years even, I’ve said to myself “someday I’m going to get organized, disciplined, and do the things I should be doing.” However, someday never came. I was stuck with wishful thinking until I made a decision that someday was today. Here are 4 steps that helped move me toward my “someday” life today.

Let me give an mundane example, my morning routine.

My schedule in irregular. I travel a lot. When I am home I work from my home office. I have many different organizational hats that I wear – CEO, team leader, website guy, mail clerk, marketing – as well as develop programs, writing and speaking.

On any particular day I might wake up and grab a cup of coffee. I scan through emails and before I know it, it’s 8:55 a.m. and I have a coaching call in 5 minutes. After that call I get a proposal out to an organization for coaching training. Then I realize I never ate breakfast, and I’m still in my tee-shirt and shorts that I woke up in. But my 11 o’clock call is here with a teammate to prepare them for a training. That call goes long (we had a good time chatting). Now I’m really hungry.

I go upstairs and see that the kitchen is a wreck, just the way I left it. My bed isn’t made, I haven’t showered, and I’m just barely conscious that I didn’t take any time for my Christian spiritual disciplines. I check my afternoon schedule and see an appointment at 2 p.m. and two urgent projects that need to be finished before the end of the day. I run for the shower…

“This is not how I want to live!” I think to myself, “Someday. Someday I’m going to have a regular schedule. Someday I will have greater focus in my role. Someday I will be more organized and disciplined.”

One day last summer I realized, I’ve been saying this for years now. Someday is never going to come. The reality is nothing keeps me from doing these things except myself. Oh, certainly others add to the challenge, but it’s really me that’s the problem.

Someday is Today

I decided enough is enough. I decided someday is today. I’m going to begin to become and do the someday things, today.

I started with little things – my morning routine. You’re smart and will see how you can apply these same steps to anything that you want to do someday. Here’s what I did:

  1. Assess what’s getting in the way. The #1 problem with my morning routine was doing e-mail first thing in the morning. I decided to not check email or any social media until after my morning routine was done. This was the most difficult step! I wrote another post about how to get control of your email.
  2. Schedule the important. I decided my spiritual practices would be a great way to begin the day. I found that I had a quiet house just after the kids left for school. That’s when I would read the Bible and pray. I soon found that if I didn’t do it then, it wouldn’t happen that day. Realizing this fact further motivated me.
  3. Do it now. I didn’t make my bed, clean the kitchen, or shower first thing in the morning because I thought, “I’ll do it later.” However, later either never came or came when it was inconvenient. So, I cleaned the kitchen as soon as I was done eating breakfast. I made my bed and showered next. Sounds easy, but it wasn’t.
  4. Pay attention to the results. These simple changes produced large results in me. By being conscious of the changes and the results, it further reinforced my desire to keep doing them.

I found that I started “work” much more centered and uncluttered by doing these things. A spiritual perspective flowed though my day. I felt prepared, organized, and on top of things when I saw the neat kitchen and bedroom. When I began working through emails I did it from a place of peace. I was unhurried. I better organized the rest of my day.

Most of all I was happy to be starting my days the way I imagined I would live someday.

Question: What do you want to begin to be or do today instead of someday? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

    Keith is President of Creative Results Management. He helps busy leaders multiply their impact. Keith is the author of several books including The COACH Model for Christian Leaders.

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    8 thoughts on “The Life You Want Someday Begins Today

    1. Very encouraging and inspiring article Keith. It spoke a lot to me. YES! I am jumping out of the boat (well I already jumped) and walking on water. For years I wanted to pursue my passion and prophetic destiny. But the hustle and bustle of life overtook me until I forgot about my dreams, fears got into me and got stuck in a place where I no longer want to be at. But enough is enough. I made a decision to live out my purpose and passion. Courage is an act of faith. Now, exciting season has started to unfold! 🙂 Keep coaching!

    2. Where did you put the hidden camera in my house? (Actually our kitchen is downstairs but otherwise – eerie!) Decision time!

      • I suspected that my domestic patterns might not be unique to me… Make the change!

        The article’s example is a morning routine. I’ve moved on from there to apply the 4 steps to what work I do (I started this blog, for one), how much I travel, and where I focus my energy in my work.