The haunting feeling I have every so often is that I’m not living up to my potential.  This year alone I had a classmate from West Point run for Governor of Georgia, and a classmate from FAMU run for Governor of Florida.

It’s not that I aspire for political office. However, I do aspire to serve my community on that level and I do think one day I can get there.  But right now, I’m not living up to that potential. What’s more, the reality is that I’m not alone. Many of us have aspirations that we haven’t yet achieved.

As cliché as this may sound, “it is what it is” and our past decisions are set in stone.  The only thing we can control is our present, and the choices we make in the present are what decide our future.

I try to remind myself of this fact whenever I start to beat myself up over not achieving more.  My life is good and I’m a better man today than I was 10 years ago, 5 years ago, and even this time last year.  I have a lot to be thankful for in my current circumstances, and it’s likely you do too. So today when I cam across this short little poem below, I knew I had to share it immediately as it is a great reminder of this point.

I am not what I ought to be,
Not what I want too be,
Not what I am going to be,
But I am thankful that
I am better than I used to be.

I don’t know the author of those 5 lines above, but they are so very comforting for me.  I hope you find comfort in them as well.  The marathon of life is not over until you take your last breath. As long as we each continue to make effort to be better than yesterday, our potential remains within reach.