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Immerse your “now” narrative: Imagining yourself in a future state and considering the scenarios which could play out down the road is key to increasing your chances of a successful retirement; however, as the experts state here, the tendency to do so can also “crowd out your ability to be alive right now.” In an ideal world, you are simultaneously mindful in the present and focused on the pursuit of future goals. How? Through this three-step process developed by Harvard professor, Arthur Brooks:

📌 1 – “Use learned optimism to dream up and set long-term goals”: Allow yourself to dream freely of your financial future, which in return, will provide clarity of where you’re going, inspiration to get there and an intention for you to set along the way.

📌 2 – “Now break those goals into sub-steps”: Create a path of mini milestones that will bring you to your retirement goals, which will initially begin with where you are now – the present.

📌 3 – “Live in day-tight compartments that set a goal for being fully alive over the next 24 hours” – Block off moments of your day dedicated to your dreams, your goals and ways to make the most of “now”, so you can live out the retirement you deserve.

Be present for the future: By knowing the smaller steps that need to be taken on a moment-to-moment basis, your vivid vision of the future will become the self-fulfilling prophecy that allows you to live in the moment today.