Norman Lear is the genius creator of several fabulous television series. “All in the Family”; “Maude”; “The Jefferson’s” among his best. In an interview a few years ago, at age 96, he was asked, “Mr. Lear, you’ve been immensely successful. Has there been one key as to why?” Lear replied, “Oh, yes. I’ve lived my life focused on one simple adage. All I have today are two things… “now and next.”

Makes me think of where we are now on January 1, 2021. We are in the “Now” and we are looking for what’s “Next.” Struggling. Our “Now” carries a lot of weight as we enter each new year. We’re burdened, heavy with the dramatic twists and turns… wrenchings really from the year past. But the human spirit may best be described in a poem by the great Carl Sandberg. I paraphrase with license here.

“The human spirit is like an old anvil… grinning at all the broken hammers.”

We always seem to find the resolve to reach out for our “Next.”

I’ve found the best sign of future performance is past performance. The “anvil” in us has always stared down those “broken hammers.” Depression; war; economic collapse. We always respond, we’ve always responded… resiliently!

It’s our human nature to fear the unknown… we are naturally anxious about what the future holds. Of course, if there’s no anxiety in not knowing what’s next, there can be no such thing as a resilient response. Right? How do I see this time, this juncture in our lives? Jan 1, 2021? An opportunity to reset… summon the God-given deep well of strength in us all… shine up that old “anvil” and go forth. Maybe like never before. Toward what’s “Next.”

Let me continue here… although I diverge somewhat here.

It’s customary with each new year to make resolutions. Aspirations regarding weight, reading, career… changes in behavior. Most of these efforts fade soon after we make them. We usually are good at describing “what and how.” Rarely do we spend enough on the real motivator of change. The “Why” of what we want to, what we intend to do.

I’ve worked with many well-meaning people who commit to change. “Who am I? Who do I want to become?” But human nature is like Nike, they want to “Just do it!” Fast. Want it all… Now. Usually bound to fail. Why?… let me illustrate.

M. Scott Peck wrote one of the famous books of our time, The Road Less Traveled. Among the many incredible lessons Peck offers is the concept of “delaying gratification.” Scott’s suggestion? Life is like eating cake. Do you eat the cake first? Or the icing first? Most of us are “icing” people. We probably know we should eat the cake first. But… mmm… that icing just looks too good.

He further offers that eating the cake first makes that icing so much sweeter. “Just do it!” Go for the icing? … pass on the cake? You may invite failure.

Perhaps the pandemic gifted us in a slightly bizarre way. All those things that gave us such great satisfaction were on hold. “Delayed” beyond our control. Hey, we didn’t even get to eat the cake! Much less the icing!

Now, when we see some of the old “normal” return, the cake and the icing seem to be so, so, so much sweeter!! Because we went so long without either? Delayed gratification has its unexpected rewards. How ‘bout that!

One thing Norman Lear didn’t say. Between his “Nows” and his “Nexts” was… time. “Space” when he assessed Why… he would move to his next “Next.” At first, Lear appears to be an “icing” guy. No. Lots of “cake” before the “icing” in his “Nows” and “Nexts.”

Opening every new year is a gift. As an old friend of mine used to say, “Hats off to the past! Coats off to the future!” What does this mean to me personally? What will the true impact be? Hard to say. There are only two types of people who address the issues posed here… Those who do something about it, and those who don’t.

So, how will you be different in coming years? The pandemic years were unique in that there was so much we needed to move away from. Now. And so much that we can move toward. Next. But your “Nows” and “Nexts” will require lots of cake before getting to the icing. Or as we hear so often from those who have reached personal heights… “All I can say is… if you want it bad enough, you can have it.”