Imagine spending each moment fully engaged, unburdened, and free from distractions. This blog invites you to step into that space and explore how living in the present is not just a path to peace but also a gateway to excellence. Through stories and insights, we will discover how giving our best to the “now” is more than a mere productivity hack. It is an art. Let us master this art together.
From Fixation to Flow
Sometimes, the path to mastery begins with a door slammed shut. That is what happened to Matajuro Yagyu.
Matajuro was born into the lineage of a renowned samurai sword master. He dreamed of becoming a great swordsman himself. However, his father saw no promise in him and refused to train him. Undeterred, Matajuro sought out another legendary sword master, Banzo.
Banzo’s verdict was harsh: “You lack talent.” But Matajuro was persistent and asked, “If I devote myself completely, how long will it take to master the art?”
“At least twenty years,” Banzo answered.
“What if I train day and night without rest?” Matajuro pressed.
“Forty years,” came the reply.
“But I will push myself beyond limits, skipping sleep if I must,” he insisted.
“In that case, sixty years,” said Banzo.
Confused, Matajuro questioned why more effort meant more time. Banzo’s wisdom cut to the heart of the matter: “If your mind is fixated on the outcome, you will never give your full attention to the practice.” At that moment, Matajuro surrendered to the process. Yet to his surprise, Banzo offered no sword lessons. Instead, Matajuro was given mundane tasks: sweeping floors, cooking meals, tending the garden, washing clothes. Days turned into weeks and months.
Then one day, without warning, Banzo struck Matajuro with a stick. “Be prepared,” he said calmly. “I may strike at any time. Stay alert.” From then on, Banzo attacked unpredictably several times a day. Slowly, Matajuro’s scattered attention dissolved. His awareness sharpened. He began to sense even the faintest sound or movement—the swish of the stick slicing through the air. Eventually, he could anticipate and catch the stick mid-air before it struck.
After eighteen months Banzo acknowledged, “You have been a good student Matajuro,” and taught him advanced sword techniques. Thereafter, Matajuro Yagyu went on to become one of Japan’s most famous sword masters. Matajuro's story reveals a profound message. It is giving our best—fully and sincerely—in each present moment that leads us to the gateway of excellence. Doing this also quiets the mind and invites inner peace. But too often, we do the opposite.
From Destination to Journey
We tend to rush past the present moment, eyes fixed on some distant reward, as if life begins after a promotion, a raise, a new home, or some other achievement. This is called the Destination Disease. For example, “When I get promoted at work, I will finally feel fulfilled.” Or “When I get a bigger house, I will feel secure.” But as soon as we reach these goals, satisfaction fades—replaced by new desires. The mirage of future happiness keeps shifting further away, while each day slips by uncherished.
How then can we break free from this?
- Release your worries. Instead of replaying your worries in your mind, write them down in a diary. This will free up your mind and allow you to focus fully on the now. Later, you can address those challenges with fresh insight.
- Take one step at a time. A clockmaker once crafted a grandfather clock. Surprisingly, the pendulum groaned and spoke up, expressing its anxiety about the millions of tick-tocks it would have to take. The maker advised, “Just focus on one tick-tock at a time.” The pendulum felt relieved of a huge burden and just immersed itself in doing its best in the present moment. Likewise, detach yourself from the overwhelming future and give your full attention to the present task.
- Focus on your efforts, not the results. Fear of failure or judgment often holds us back. For instance, some students hesitate to ask questions in class as they are afraid of being judged. As a result, they settle for lower grades rather than risk embarrassment. Similarly, many people avoid taking chances in life out of fear of failure. But real success comes when you commit fully to the process, regardless of results.
- Stay present. Worrying about “what ifs” drains energy and distracts from the task at hand. It shifts your focus into the future. “What if the worst happens?”, “What if my fears come true?” However, your best work arises when your full attention is in the moment, as seen in the case of Matajuro.
Thus, the most effective way is to shift your attention to your efforts and attend to them to the best of your abilities. Ultimately, the only thing in our hands is the effort.
Let us learn from this insightful tale.
There was once a deer, ready to give birth. As labor pains began, she found a calm spot by a river. But danger soon closed in from all sides. Storm clouds gathered overhead. A lion emerged from the trees ahead; its eyes fixed on her. Behind her, a hunter drew his bow, taking aim. And from the other side, a forest fire raged, advancing rapidly towards her.
The deer was trapped. Should she flee the lion and run into the hunter’s line of fire? Should she jump into the river to escape the flames? Was there any escape at all? Instead of panicking, the deer simply lay down and focused on delivering her fawn.
Then the unexpected happened.
A bolt of lightning struck, startling the hunter—his arrow missed and struck the lion instead. The skies opened up, and rain extinguished the fire. In the midst of chaos, the deer did the one thing that was in her control—and everything else fell into place. The lesson is clear: Stay in the present. Do what you must. Leave the rest to God.
Doing Your Part
Stress in life does not arise from the task itself, but from attachment to outcomes. Shree Krishna’s famous verse from the Bhagavad Gita states:
karmaṇy-evādhikāras te mā phaleṣhu kadāchana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stvakarmaṇi ~ Verse 2.7
“You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions.”
Our actions lie within our control, but outcomes do not. One person may toil endlessly yet gain little, while another achieves success seemingly with ease. This is because outcomes depend on many factors like karma, timing, and divine will.
Shree Krishna advises, “Do your duty, but don’t be attached to the results.” When we fixate on results, our peace of mind becomes tied to external circumstances. So, whenever outcomes don’t match our expectations, we suffer. To free us from this cycle, Shree Krishna urges Arjun to let go of the results and focus instead on doing his duty with sincerity.
Ironically, when we stop worrying about outcomes and give our full attention to the task at hand, we often perform better—and the results naturally improve. Consider its application to a simple activity such as playing golf. When people play golf, they are often engrossed in the fruits—whether their score is under par, over par, etc. Instead, if they could merely play the shots to the best of their ability in the given moment, they would find it the most enjoyable game of golf they have ever played.
Let us not clutch the scorecard; just swing the club.
Elevating Each Moment
As we cultivate detachment from outcomes and focus on the present, we can take it a step further by recognizing the divine purpose behind our actions. When we see our work as a form of seva (service) to God, our tasks become sacred.
The soul is a tiny part of God (Bhagavad Gita Verse 15.7), and our inherent nature is to serve Him through all our actions.
The Padma Puran declares:
dāsa bhūtamidaṁ tasya jagatsthāvara jangamam śhrīmannārāyaṇa swāmī jagatāṁprabhurīśhwaraḥ ~ (Padma Puran) [v40]
“God is the Master of the entire creation; all moving and non-moving beings are His servants.”
Material consciousness thinks, “I own what I have. It exists for my enjoyment. I have every right to increase and indulge in it.” In contrast, spiritual consciousness says, “God is the true owner and enjoyer of everything. I am His servant, and all I possess is meant for His service.” While performing our duties, we must remember that we are not the enjoyers of the results; the fruits are meant for God's pleasure.
Imagine three laborers building a temple in Vrindavan:
● One says, “I am here for my daily wage.”
● Another says, “This work brings me joy.”
● The third says, “This is God’s work—I offer myself to it.”
Though they perform the same task, their consciousness is vastly different. Karma Yog moves us from “I want this for me” to “I offer this to You.” It is not mere detachment from results but a redirection of effort as an offering for God’s pleasure. This mindset helps us stay grounded in the present, unencumbered by worries about outcomes.
Before receiving Krishna’s divine counsel, Arjun saw the war as a personal battle for revenge—to reclaim the throne from Duryodhan. But after hearing the Gita, something changed. The battlefield was the same, the weapons the same, but Arjun’s consciousness transformed. He realized kings come and go. What mattered was not victory or defeat but fulfilling his duty and offering the results to God.
Similarly, when we focus on our duty and offer the results to God, pressure fades and peace takes its place. Living in the present then becomes more than just productivity—it becomes a path to deeper purpose and meaning. The “why” behind our work evolves. In this way, spiritual consciousness transforms stress into serenity.
Conclusion
To live fully is to live presently.
To live wisely is to live for a higher purpose.
And to live joyfully is to give your best and leave the rest to God.
Whether in a corporate office, a quiet home, or in a battlefield like Arjun—this teaching holds true: your power lies in the “now.” This is where life happens, excellence begins, and inner peace is found. Remember Matajuro, who stopped chasing the future and mastered the now. Remember the deer, who amidst chaos, focused on what she could control and surrendered the rest.
Obsessing over results only robs the richness of the present moment. When we live in the present, give our best, and surrender the rest—we turn our work into worship, and our life into a prayer. That is the art of living in the present.
Resources
● Remember This 1 Thing to STOP Worrying in Life Forever | Day 6 Life Transformation Challenge
● A+ STUDENT MENTALITY For SUCCESS | TRY This for 21 Days | Swami Mukundananda
● Watch this Achieve your Goals 10x Faster - An Eye-Opening Story | Swami Mukundananda
● Shree Krishna's Secret to a Worry Free Mind - The Power of Living in the Moment | Swami Mukundananda
Call to Action
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