I have noticed that I often focus on whats missing from  my current reality when compared to my imagined ideal life. Such a constant focus can be a cause of ongoing unhappiness and frustration.

There is nothing unusual about our pre-occupation with forward thinking. Human beings are designed to evolve and this is achieved through either intentional planning or through default when stuff just happens. The problem with too much forward focus and thinking is that is robs us of our experience of the present moment. This I believe is the root cause for much of our dissatisfaction with our lives.

Instead of just being in the moment and being appreciative of all the good stuff we have right now we most often find ourselves pondering whats missing from our lives or how far there is to go before we attain our imagined perfect furture reality when at last we can relax and be happy. The reality is that even when we do achieve our goals our satisfaction and happiness is short lived before we move on to the next project and start the whole process of delayed happiness all over again!

Other side-effects of too much forward thinking are a lack of effectiveness in our daily tasks and a neglect in our relationships.

Just how effective are we at work when we are pre-occupied with what might or might not happen or are constantly thinking about being somewhere else? When we are focussing forward we are not paying attention to what is in front of us. By contrast when you are fully focussed on a project you become more relaxed, creative and efficient. You will find that present moment focus at work will make your work that much more enjoyable and productive regardless of whether you are in your dream job or not.

During a conversation if you are not paying attention people pick up on this. It shows a real lack of respect by you of others. Ask yourself whether you are really hearing and understanding what is being said. If not bring your attention back to the person communicating with you and consider every word being spoken. Don’t get distracted.

I am not suggesting that we never do any planning or forward thinking as this is key to our achieving our desires. However, like most things in life its all a matter of balance.