The Paradox of Presence and Progress

Dear friends,

One of the hardest things in life is balancing staying present in the moment with chasing something greater in the future.

We all (I hope) have goals for what we want our lives to become. But if we only focus on achieving those goals and optimizing for the future, we’ll never truly experience the present for what it is.

I’ve come to see this as life’s ultimate paradox.

How can we stay grateful for what we have right now while also working toward ambitious goals? Is it even possible? Do we have to sacrifice one for the other?

My life feels like a constant experiment for this exact question. Right now, I’m trying my best to engage in my final year of high school—participating in sports, hanging out with friends, and doing all the “high school things” one last time.

At the same time, I’m laser-focused on creating a life I truly want. I don’t want to be trapped in anyone else’s idea of success—I want to live on my own terms, with full autonomy.

This requires work. A lot of work.

The ironic thing is, when I picture the life I’m working toward, I see myself at ease. I see myself doing meaningful work, but also having an inner peace that can only come from slowing down and being present.

Do you see the paradox?

I’m working my ass off to get to a life where I don’t have to work my ass off.

Is that necessary? Or could I just not work so hard and chill now?

What I’ve come to accept is that the most effective path toward the future I want is to be present right now. The challenge is that you can’t truly be present if your only reason for doing so is to optimize for the future.

True presence—the kind that actually fuels success—only comes when you let go of attachment to your goals.

This is one of the hardest things I’m working on, and it’s exactly what holds me back in my meditations and everyday life.

My whole platform is built on the duality of gratitude and ambition, but I haven’t mastered it myself. I don’t know if I ever will.

I don’t want to miss my life chasing an idea of the future—only to get there and keep doing the same thing.

My solution? Balancing ambitious action with conscious gratitude practices and meditation.

I still have a lot of work to do, but it helps. I recommend you try it.

The Grateful Podcast

On my podcast, I interview people far wiser than me about living a purposeful life filled with gratitude and ambition.

📅 New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday:

• Monday: A solo episode where I go deeper into this newsletter’s theme.

• Wednesday: Get Clear On What You’re Optimizing For with Jonathan Cohen.

• Saturday: Foster A Healthy Relationship With Your Emotions with Sherianna Boyle.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or watch the video version on YouTube.

Coaching

If you’re ready to take action and need guidance, I’d love to help.

I work with a select number of people each month, so if you’re ready to start building your dream life, let’s talk.

📅 Book a free 15-minute call to discuss your goals and how to make them happen.

📧 Email me at [email protected] to get scheduled.

Make this week rock. Thank you so much for reading—I’ll see you next week.

With love,

Jack Wagoner