re? One day, while doing errands around Boulder, I realized that a lot of my lifestyle already resembled the European way. I ride my bike to the post office and the bank two blocks away. I meet a colleague for tea at the teahouse. On the way home, I stop at the Farmers' Market and pick up some bread and fresh goat cheese for a sandwich later. In this way I have expressed my values of simplicity and freedom: everywhere I needed to go was within three blocks. I also get to have delicious, locally prepared food and mIn my work as a coach and a visionary, I am reminded again and again of the need to balance striving toward the future and savoring the present. If we always lean toward the future, we lose balance and appreciation of the present. Living only in the present, making no plans for the future, can prevent our growth. One way to live on the bridge between the two is to be clear about your goals, know what achieving them will give you, and to taste the future in the present.

How do we do this? I have noticed a pattern that works for my clients and myself. Since their information is confidential, I will use my story as an example. One of my visions and goals is to live in Europe. For the moment, I live in Boulder, Colorado. I like this place and appreciate living in mountainous splendor, but it is not my home. I need to balance the yearning for Europe with the rock hard reality of Boulder. I have discovered a number of steps that allow us to dance in the moment toward our future.

1. Identify the goal. My goal is to live in Europe, preferably France, but I am open to alternatives. Be as specific as you can, and also leave room for something bigger and better to come in.

2. Clarify the details of your goal. What about Europe appeals to me? The vibrant neighborhoods of Paris, the freshness of artisan foods, elements of a simpler life. The variety of nationalities in a small geography. Meeting people from many cultures.

3. Identify your motivation. Understand what having your goal will do for you. I love learning and speaking another language. Figuring out another culture and simultaneously comparing it to my own culture stimulates my creativity and makes me feel alive and vibrant.

4. Identify values that you will express when you attain this goal. My values of learning, adventure, challenge and good food will all be boosted to a high level when I experience the dream of living abroad.

5. This is the bridge step. Take a look at your current situation. What about your current situation matches or resembles your future? One day, while doing errands around Boulder, I realized that a lot of my lifestyle already resembled the European way. I ride my bike to the post office and the bank two blocks away. I meet a colleague for tea at the teahouse. On the way home, I stop at the Farmers' Market and pick up some bread and fresh goat cheese for a sandwich later. In this way I have expressed my values of simplicity and freedom: everywhere I needed to go was within three blocks. I also get to have delicious, locally prepared food and me

tern that works for my clients and myself. Since their information is confidential, I will use my story as an example. One of my visions and goals is to live in Europe. For the moment, I live in Boulder, Colorado. I like this place and appreciate living in mountainous splendor, but it is not my home. I need to balance the yearning for Europe with the rock hard reality of Boulder. I have discovered a number of steps that allow us to dance in the moment toward our future.

1. Identify the goal. My goal is to live in Europe, preferably France, but I am open to alternatives. Be as specific as you can, and also leave room for something bigger and better to come in.

2. Clarify the details of your goal. What about Europe appeals to me? The vibrant neighborhoods of Paris, the freshness of artisan foods, elements of a simpler life. The variety of nationalities in a small geography. Meeting people from many cultures.

3. Identify your motivation. Understand what having your goal will do for you. I love learning and speaking another language. Figuring out another culture and simultaneously comparing it to my own culture stimulates my creativity and makes me feel alive and vibrant.

4. Identify values that you will express when you attain this goal. My values of learning, adventure, challenge and good food will all be boosted to a high level when I experience the dream of living abroad.

5. This is the bridge step. Take a look at your current situation. What about your current situation matches or resembles your future? One day, while doing errands around Boulder, I realized that a lot of my lifestyle already resembled the European way. I ride my bike to the post office and the bank two blocks away. I meet a colleague for tea at the teahouse. On the way home, I stop at the Farmers' Market and pick up some bread and fresh goat cheese for a sandwich later. In this way I have expressed my values of simplicity and freedom: everywhere I needed to go was within three blocks. I also get to have delicious, locally prepared food and m

ive in Europe, preferably France, but I am open to alternatives. Be as specific as you can, and also leave room for something bigger and better to come in.

2. Clarify the details of your goal. What about Europe appeals to me? The vibrant neighborhoods of Paris, the freshness of artisan foods, elements of a simpler life. The variety of nationalities in a small geography. Meeting people from many cultures.

3. Identify your motivation. Understand what having your goal will do for you. I love learning and speaking another language. Figuring out another culture and simultaneously comparing it to my own culture stimulates my creativity and makes me feel alive and vibrant.

4. Identify values that you will express when you attain this goal. My values of learning, adventure, challenge and good food will all be boosted to a high level when I experience the dream of living abroad.

5. This is the bridge step. Take a look at your current situation. What about your current situation matches or resembles your future? One day, while doing errands around Boulder, I realized that a lot of my lifestyle already resembled the European way. I ride my bike to the post office and the bank two blocks away. I meet a colleague for tea at the teahouse. On the way home, I stop at the Farmers' Market and pick up some bread and fresh goat cheese for a sandwich later. In this way I have expressed my values of simplicity and freedom: everywhere I needed to go was within three blocks. I also get to have delicious, locally prepared food and m

speaking another language. Figuring out another culture and simultaneously comparing it to my own culture stimulates my creativity and makes me feel alive and vibrant.

4. Identify values that you will express when you attain this goal. My values of learning, adventure, challenge and good food will all be boosted to a high level when I experience the dream of living abroad.

5. This is the bridge step. Take a look at your current situation. What about your current situation matches or resembles your future? One day, while doing errands around Boulder, I realized that a lot of my lifestyle already resembled the European way. I ride my bike to the post office and the bank two blocks away. I meet a colleague for tea at the teahouse. On the way home, I stop at the Farmers' Market and pick up some bread and fresh goat cheese for a sandwich later. In this way I have expressed my values of simplicity and freedom: everywhere I needed to go was within three blocks. I also get to have delicious, locally prepared food and m

re? One day, while doing errands around Boulder, I realized that a lot of my lifestyle already resembled the European way. I ride my bike to the post office and the bank two blocks away. I meet a colleague for tea at the teahouse. On the way home, I stop at the Farmers' Market and pick up some bread and fresh goat cheese for a sandwich later. In this way I have expressed my values of simplicity and freedom: everywhere I needed to go was within three blocks. I also get to have delicious, locally prepared food and meet with new people. All in all a fulfilling afternoon. I'm not in the Latin Quarter, but my activities mimic that lifestyle.

6. Savor the moment whenever you can. After you have identified ways that you are living your dreams now, savor them. At any point in your day, notice what engages you, what makes you feel fulfilled, alive. Savor those moments, and savor the noticing.

7. Close the gap between present and future. Bring your future into your life. Enroll in classes, surround yourself with art, music, books, movies, TV shows that represent your dream. I read a lot of European novels, to immerse myself in that perspective and to stay abreast of European mores and culture. How can you live more of your dream now?

8. Move toward the future with purpose. Set goals, set them to a time line, and get support as you take action. Consider all aspects of your goal: what you will need to achieve it, what support you may need, what you need to let go of to make room for the new you.

My goals and ideal day will be radically different from yours, and from the next person's. Since I began recognizing how to savor life, it has been easier to be present with what is in front of me. I have moved from dreamer to visionary, making goals happen. I am less prone to waste time and to bemoan the lack of some idealized future vision. Straddling the past and the future empowers my clients and myself. When we recognize that we have already created great things for ourselves, we gain strength for new goals.

Challenge: Take time this week to look at your goals. Go through the steps I've outlined above and see what happens. I'd love to hear how you are savoring your own life!