It’s easy to think of my work in terms of how it will pay off in the future. Will my boss recommend me for a new opportunity? Will this assignment give me experience that will lead to something better? Will I make new network connections that could pay off down the line?

All of those questions start with “will.” They put me in the future, a future that hasn’t happened yet and isn’t guaranteed.

Today I will remember the adage “stay in today.” I will view the work in front of me through the lens of this day only, brushing aside any expectations about tomorrow that arise in my mind. I will trust that today matters enough all by itself, that my work matters and I matter.