If you’ve come across my blogs on BeAnAccelerator.com you’ll notice a relatively focused theme on individual and team growth. The goal has been to embrace different perspectives and lessons learned to leverage in our unique growth journeys. It can be invigorating to think about how we can grow closer to the person or team we’re capable of becoming. I love analyzing what we can gain insight from in the past to learn and grow for the future.

An area I often fall short in my blogs though is talking about the present. Take a moment and think of the Celtic trinity symbol and the meaning of past, present, and future (see picture below). I love this symbol because it has a personal representation of the importance to learn from the past, live in the present, and grow for the future. While I highly doubt there’s a “right” balance of looking through the lens of each of these three perspectives, I have noticed I may be falling short lately living in the present.

This past weekend we celebrated my lil guy turning 10. Double digits – that sounds strange to say when it doesn’t feel like very long ago, we got home from the hospital with complete confusion on how we were supposed to raise this baby (it’s amazing what happens when you care – you just find a way). Now 10 years later (and another kiddo), my wife and I couldn’t be more grateful to be parents.

As we celebrated this weekend it dawned on me that so much of what I was striving for just a few years ago is right in front of my eyes. To have the opportunity to see my son grow into the 10-year-old he has become and to be a part of all the family celebrations was a great reminder to use the present lens of the trinity symbol a little more often. Sometimes the present moment you’re getting to experience is what you dreamed about just a few years ago.

Take a moment to reflect on that last comment. Go back 5 years and think about the person you were striving to become. Is that who you are now? Maybe not exactly who you imagined but are there pieces of the future you that is the now you?

Admittedly, today I woke up and got right into the mode of thinking about the future and where my growth needed to take place. Sometimes I need to remind myself more often to look around right now and stay in the present moment. I may be in a spot in life that just a few years ago I had dreamed I wanted to strive to grow towards. Growing for the future will always be a passion I will follow but the trinity symbol is a great reminder there’s a present to embrace. I may not be exactly the present-day person I was striving for a few years ago but there are so many parts I’m proud of and extremely fortunate to experience.

“Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” – Bil Keane

Take your step: today try to find a little more time to stop and embrace the moment. We learn from the past to grow for the future but keep your eyes also on how we live for the present.