“A year from now you will wish you had started today.”

– Karen Lamb

Imagine a seed. The potential it carries is extraordinary. Tucked inside its tiny frame, a mighty oak tree, a field of sunflowers, or a world of tropical fruits. But, to unlock that potential, the seed needs to be planted. The same principle applies to you. Your dreams and aspirations are like that seed, brimming with remarkable potential.

Visualize it as a year from today. You’re sipping on iced coffee, skimming through a diary, revisiting the pages of the past. Where you are, what you’re doing, how you feel—all hinge on the decisions you make today.

The steps you take—or choose not to take—will shape the picture of that future day. You may be basking in the satisfaction of having started that business you always dreamed of, or finally learning to play the piano. Alternatively, you might find yourself stuck in a loop of ‘what ifs’ and ‘if onlys’, haunted by the specter of missed opportunities.

Think about this: every moment is a fertile patch of soil. Each passing second is a chance for your seed—your goal—to take root. The moment you decide to take action is the moment your seed is planted. But the more you hesitate, the more you push back the planting, the more you delay the fruit-bearing season.

Don’t let the fear of failure be a garden hoe that uproots your dreams before they sprout. Instead, turn it into a watering can that nurtures your ambitions. Make the shift from contemplation to action, and let today be the day you plant your seed.

The future isn’t built in a day, but a year from now, you’ll wish you had started building it today.

Stephen Boudreau serves as VP of Brand and Community at Virtuous Software. For over two decades, he has helped nonprofits leverage the digital space to grow their impact. To that end, Stephen co-founded RaiseDonors, a platform that provides nonprofits with technology and experiences that remove barriers to successful online fundraising. He is an avid (but aging) soccer player, audiobook enthusiast, and the heavily-disputed UNO champion of his household.

Copyright ©2023 Stephen Boudreau.