Be a Nowist

Do you worry too much about the future? Do you continually lament about your mistakes of the past? Maybe you need to be of the “Nowist” mindset. Dr. Max McKeown in his book #Now explains that, “Instead of getting stuck regretting the past, fearing the future or being paralyzed by trying to find the perfect plan, successful happy people actively change the future by taking action today.”

Isn’t that what many of us are striving for: success and happiness!

Nowists focus on doing the next positive thing and just keep on moving. “They look while leaping and leap while looking. They don’t get hung up on getting everything right, but on making a start and making things happen. Nowists are better able to make the future feel like now. And because it is easier to be motivated to start when the deadline is closer, they use Nowist mind tricks to make the task deadline seem like part of the present. The desire to start immediately, despite the possibility of inefficiency, is a tendency that’s been labeled pre-crastination.”

Columbia professor, Dr. Srikumar Rao has a Ted talk about our flawed model of happiness, where our happiness focuses on achieving something (like buying a new car or getting the promotion). Achieving things is in the future. He posits that we need to enjoy the process. In other words, appreciate and celebrate the now.

Dr. McKeown goes on to say, “It seems better to enjoy the moment while doing something that you value than to do something just to impress other people. And this leads to some curious, surprising moments of clarity and enlightenment: If work can be enjoyed, then it doesn’t need to be avoided. And if enjoyment is included as part of your valued goals, then joy is not a distraction.”