A dear friend of mine recently sent me the book Reach for the Stars. It is one of those volumes of compiled wisdom quotes attributed to sages, authors, politicians, and modern-day celebrities. Brief statements with powerful 
insights.
One quote in particular grabbed my attention—and it kept pulling me back to the page each day I opened the book. It came in the form of a question,
When will you realize that “today” IS the “tomorrow” you hoped for “yesterday”? (Ken Keyes, Jr.)
I have previously written on this blog of the importance of An Attitude of Gratitude (August 16, 2010). I stated then, “I can be a bit of a whiner at times—don’t like to admit; but it is true. And the reality is I have NOTHING to whine about. At times, it is easy to dwell on the misfortunes of life…and that kind of thinking is deadly.” When I read the “today-tomorrow-yesterday” quote above, I thought again about the importance of gratitude. But more specifically, I thought about how we do create our future. Our actions move us towards our dreams; they create our reality. Likewise, our inaction creates its own reality.
There was one word, however, in the quote that did not resonate with me—hoped. For me, that sounded passive; too much like “let’s see what will happen.” With a slight rewrite I came up with,
Today is the tomorrow I created yesterday.
The word “created” emphasizes the need to take action to make my tomorrow be what I envision. It necessarily includes responsibility and accountability for what I desire for my future. I have to admit, though, a lot of my creations have not panned out like I had planned. Guess that is the difference between “hope” and “creation.” The results come about because of work I have done (or not done), positions I have placed myself in (or not), and relationships I have nurtured (or ignored).
As you embark on your new week, consider what actions you will take to make your goals reality. What do you want your future to look like? Make today’s actions move you closer to your dreams of tomorrow.
© Steve Piscitelli and Steve Piscitelli’s Blog, 2010.
The Growth and Resilience Network® 
You’re right, Steve, in that create is the more active word. A wake up word. A working word. I like what you’ve done with it. However, I don’t think we should sell hope short. Hope is the stuff of dreams, and dreams can create wonderful yesterdays, todays and tomorrows.
Hope you create a wonderful week.
R
LikeLike
Agreed, Ruth. Think of the possibilities when we combine “hope” and “create”…very powerful indeed. Best to you and thanks for the comment!
LikeLike
How can you achieve your dream if you feel that your dreams are impossible to accomplish? If you feel that what you want can be achieved, then you can take the necessary steps to create a dream. Hope is as important as creating your own future. Hope gives people the drive to go after their dreams by fueling the future. Someone who is hopeless doesn’t have the ambition someone who has hope does.
LikeLike
Hope IS important. Mentors and realistic action can help…
LikeLike
Pingback: Where is Your Get Up and Do? « Steve Piscitelli's Blog
Pingback: (#194) Honor the Past. Celebrate the Present. Embrace the Future. | Steve Piscitelli's Blog
Pingback: (#66) Thirty Years. A New Semester. Some Enduring Lessons. | Steve Piscitelli
Pingback: (#341) Drop And Leave | Steve Piscitelli
Pingback: (#398) We Are Where We Are | The Growth and Resilience Network®