In my thirties, I constantly thought of things I could have done differently in my twenties.  Likewise, since entering my forties, I’ve continually examined the decisions of my thirties.  I think that’s normal.  Of course, some people dwell more than others, but it’s only natural to review your past and pick apart all the things you’d have done differently.  

The bulk of my critiques focus on wasted time or ideas I failed to pursue.  That’s probably normal as well.  Most of us regret the things we didn’t do and mourn the time we wasted on trivial nonsense.  Perhaps that’s a harsh criticism of my youth.  Or maybe that’s a determination one can only make with the perspective of age.  After all, I was never miserable and, to some degree, you need to waste time before you can recognize its value. You also need to try different things before you can learn which ones are truly worth pursuing.  But, in retrospect, that’s never how we see it.  

Instead, we envision the things we could have achieved had we just known when and where to focus.  With the benefit of hindsight, we understand all the angles and foresee every misstep.  We shake our heads at the lazy weekends and dead end jobs that held us back.  We see how if we’d only acted differently back then, things would be different than they are right now.  

So, that raises the question, what do you wish was different about where you are right now? You understand that you can’t change the past, but you can certainly influence your future.  You can shape what is to come by the decisions you make now.  With the same passion that you criticize your past failings, plan for what you want in the future and then outline the actions needed to achieve it.  What are the things you need to do right now so that in the future, you don’t look back at this time the same way you currently look back on your past.  Years from now, when you reflect on this time in your life, what is the memory you’d like to have?  

You know that working out and eating well won’t get you in shape tomorrow, but it will pay dividends in the future.  As much as you’d love to spend your full paycheck, you understand why investing makes more sense.  We’d all love to let go and simply live day by day, but the things you want to accomplish will require planning and sacrifice.  You know that now is the time to work for the life you want in the future.  

With each passing day, your present becomes your past.  The time you are in right now will someday be another period of your life that you look back upon.  What do you want that memory to be?  You’ve spent enough time kicking yourself for inaction or regrets of your past.  Use that lingering disappointment to fuel the decisions you make today.  

Decide right now how you will remember this time.  How will you remember this year in your life?  Will it just be more time that you wasted? Will it be just another year that you put things off? Or will this time be different?  Will this be when you turn things around?  Will this be the time you started your book?  Will this be the year you finally got into shape? Will this be the season you reunited with a friend or family member?  What are you going to do with this precious time? Choose your memories now.  You’ll thank yourself in future.