Happy New Year! 2023 is in the past. All of 2024 is ahead of us … with the exception of this first day. And because this is a leap year, this means that we still have a full 365 days ahead. Hip, hip, hooray!!!

But, what does this all mean with respect to the present?

Well, the whole world is in January and as someone who is keen on the etymology of words, I think its cool to find out what the low down, background of the name of this month is all about … and of course what you look for, you will almost certainly find.

Turns out that January is derived from the Greek God Janus. That’s the guy in the picture who has a face on both sides of his head.

One face looks to the past; the other face looks to the future.

Ok, so far so good … but, where is the “present” in all of this.

Well, the way that I have generally considered defining the present is as … “the attempted reconciliation of the past and the future.”

Think about it … we are never able to really have the present, there is always a short delay … a gap between creation and perception.

I might add that there is generally a much greater gap – actually more of a chasm – between perception and awareness too … but that is a digression which we will have to pick up another day.

When we look at the present in this way though, we never get to it. We can always seek to parse the measurement of that gap in greater amounts of division.

And this brings me to one of the biggest points here. This division or severance is a pronounced Western idea. We wield a knife which cuts our activities down as well as our relationships with others and self.

Now, there is another way of thinking about the present as well. It’s essentially the corollary.

The idea – and one which is much more associated with the East – is that the present is all we have. By this view the past is a flowing remnant of the present and the future is the unfurlment of the present too.

Going back to the pictured statute above, what would be better?

Should our month of Janus be devoted to (a) looking back at 2023; (b) considering all the things that we would like to do in the time we have ahead in 2024; or (c) living in the moment that we continue to be able to enjoy – if we focus our minds on it – the present.

In all honesty, it’s probably good to take a look at all three. But, I would recommend that you carefully consider the general percentages.

Anything that is in the past, you are really not going to change … unless you are able to gain a new perspective as to it. Here the question is: “Is doing this work worth it?”

In some cases it most certainly is! I don’t think there is anyone who doesn’t have some of the past in which they continue to live. In fact, if this weren’t the case, it would probably be almost impossible to hold any habits.

But, in the main, unless one simply can’t stop ruminating about the past, or perhaps particularly if past ruminations are the issue, getting help releasing oneself from one’s past is really a wise decision.

As to the future? Now, this is a much greater subject!

I’ve been working now for the last 7 months with the Napoleon Hill Institute and previous to that with Bob Proctor since the second day of 2019.

Throughout my study, I have learned that it is critical to identify one’s

• Develop a Keen Sense of Gratitude
• Definite Major Purpose
• Clarify One’s Vision
• Identify One’s Particular Goal
• Create a Plan for Attainment
• Begin at Once – i.e. in the Present – by “taking action.”
• Persist in pursuit – though not necessary in means – until goal attainment.
• Then start over again with the newfound knowledge to pursue a new goal in line with purpose and vision.

The thing that is so critical here is to be clear as to the goal and then – as I used to scream to my son and his team mates during their soccer games – “GO TO GOAL” … daily.

And just as importantly while doing so, make certain that you fully FEEL that goal achieved each time you do so.

It takes practice to develop this … and of course the goal itself. But, for those that do this, they discover the incredible magic of tapping into the 90 – 95% of that unused potential which is locked up in our subconscious mind.

This is because the sub-conscious mind is unable to discern the difference between that which is real and that which is fantasy. And actually, if the “fantasy” is impressed upon it enough in the “present” … even though there is no evidence of it being real …

In time the sub-conscious mind will deliver what Napoleon Hill called “the plots and the plans” to deliver into the “physical realm” the reality which is planted in the emotional mind of the subconscious.

For this reason, if you need to … spend a significant amount of time this January and every day, week, month, and year living in the future … in one’s minds eye.

But, then make sure to get up and get going by acting.

Action is what happens in the present and without it, regardless of one’s past … one will have not much of a present nor a future!

SO, TAKE ACTION!!!