The School of Greatness - 254 Don't Focus on What's Next

Episode Date: November 13, 2015

"Think about what's now. Focus on this moment." - Lewis Howes If you enjoyed this episode, check out show notes and more at http://lewishowes.com/254

This is 5-Minute Friday, episode number 254. What's next? How about what's now? So I've been on this tour and I've met so many people. I'm so grateful and humbled and appreciative of everyone who's come out on tour. It's been all over the country, I think 10 cities so far, and also to Montreal and Canada. And everyone is asking this question. So, Lewis, you made the New York Times list.

You've now made it two weeks in a row. What's next? And it's interesting because I keep saying the same answer. You know, I've got a vision for next year and I've got, you know, some plans here and there. But to be totally honest with you, I am so focused on what's now and bringing this vision full circle against something a dream of mine I've had eight years ago. It's happening right now.

And if I was focusing on what's next right now, I won't be able to appreciate what I've created, what I put in the hard work over the last eight years, every single day, doing the work, taking the action, making mistakes, making myself look like a fool half the time and messing up constantly, hurting people, saying things that I didn't mean to say, doing things that didn't work, figuring out what does work, building myself into the human being I want to become. If I was thinking about what's next in this moment, in this process of my tour, I would be missing the whole point. And I think so many people are always thinking about what's next. What's next? What are you going to do next? What's the big thing you're working on? What's the

big thing that's going to happen after you do this thing? And sometimes, guys, we need to really focus on what's now. And I am so present in every moment connecting with people. If you've been on my tour and you've seen me, we just had a stop in Miami last night. If you have been anywhere to see me, I've been so focused on being present with every human being that's come out. I'll stay five hours and sign books and answer people's questions and listen to people's stories because I'm so appreciative of what's happening right in this moment right now. And if I take this for granted, I'm always going to be left feeling unfulfilled and not satisfied and need to do something bigger and better constantly. And what's next and what's next? And I'm telling you, you got to focus on what's now. This is the most important time.

I don't care if you're down in the dumps, if you've celebrated a New York Times bestselling book, if you just sold a company, don't think about what's next all the time. There will be an off season for that. When you're in the playoffs, when you're in the championship game, you've got to focus on what's right now, what's happening in this play. You know, in the fourth quarter, you can't think about the end of the game. You got to think about the play and giving your best effort in this very moment. When the final horn sounds, right? When the final bell dings, when the final whistle blows, then you can evaluate what you just

accomplished, what just happened. Acknowledge yourself for the power and the energy and the passion and the joy that you just put into this effort, this season of your life that you just put in. And you made it to the playoffs. And then you made it to the championship game. And you did it. You gave your all. And you did that.

And you gave your all because you were focusing on what's now, not what's next, not what the next game is going to be like, not when the big thing is going to happen next. You were focusing on giving your best and being in the flow in this very moment. And that's what makes a champion. That's what makes a great entrepreneur. That's what makes a great human being in relationships. It's focusing on what's now, what's happening right in front of your face. My tour is about halfway over. And if I'm already thinking about what's next, I'm not appreciating the now. I'm not being present with people. I'm not thanking people for showing up and supporting me in making my dreams come true. An eight-year dream is coming true right now.

Two weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. It continues to come true, and I'm so grateful because I'm focusing on what's now. So I want you guys to take that in right now. I want you to take that in for this weekend. And when you're in the playoffs, when you've got a big vision, a big dream, any dream, you've got to live it until it's over. You've got to live it until you have an off-season with the dream. Maybe it's never going to be over, but you've got to take an off-season at some point.

That's when you can evaluate and say what's next. So I've been telling everyone I'm going to enjoy this moment. I'm going to enjoy this because it's happened once every eight years, and maybe it'll happen in a couple years or who knows when I'll do this next tour or when I'll come out with another book. But this is happening right in front of my face at this very moment. And I'm going to soak it up and I'm going to eat it up. And I'm so exhausted, right? I have like had no sleep.

For those that have seen me on tour, I've had zero sleep. I've been traveling to 10 different cities in the last two weeks, and it's still happening. I'm still in the fourth quarter of the championship game, and I'm going until about Christmas Day. That's when I'm going to take a break and evaluate. I'll probably hibernate for two or three weeks. I may go on a vacation for the first time in a long time and just decompress. go on a vacation for the first time in a long time and just decompress. Then I'll evaluate and take my off-season, recover, sleep a bunch, relax, go salsa dancing,

work out a bunch, hang out with my friends, and just goof off. Just completely let go, goof off, not think about the book, not think about anything, and allow myself to create a new dream. And then I can think about what's next. So I want you guys to think about what's now. Focus on this moment. Don't always have to start thinking, how am I going to leverage the next thing?

What's the next big thing I'm going to do? The next big goal. Don't think about that when you're living your big dream right now. Allow yourself to live it. Focus on the present. And then when you have your off season and you have time to recover, then you can evaluate what's next. I love you guys. This is five minute Friday. And if you enjoyed this episode, make sure to share it out with your friends. That's lewishouse.com slash two five four. Again, lewishouse.com slash 254. Again, LewisHowes.com slash 254. We do this every single Monday, Wednesday, and Friday,

and it's going to continue to go big for the rest of this year. We're reaching a million downloads a month now. It's all because of you guys for listening every single Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your support. We could not do this without you it's because of you we're spreading the message of greatness to the world it's because of you we're getting the word out and changing lives it's because of you listening to all the people that we bring on all the information the tools you're the ones taking action you're the ones

getting results and i'm so inspired by all of you continue to share with me your stories when you see me in person on tour. Continue to give me a big hug because I want to hug you back and continue to do incredible things with your life because your dreams matter because you matter. You guys know what time it is. It's time to go out there and do something great. សូវាប់បានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបា Thanks for watching!