The most natural thing for a person is to have dreams for the future. It shows that they are in a healthy mental state and that there is still life within them. But these should be more than just dreams—they should become goals. And in order to become the person we dream of being tomorrow, we must be our best selves today.

Very often, we see people whose logic seems to break. They claim to have big goals and ambitions for the future, yet they do nothing in the present to move closer to them. It is as if they expect their wishes to simply fall from the sky without making any effort themselves.

Our present self should reflect who we want to be tomorrow. If you want to become a sprint champion, then today you need to train hard and live a healthy lifestyle. If you want to make a revolutionary scientific discovery, then today you need to be persistent in your studies and remain determined even when your attempts fail. If you want to build a stable family, then every day along the way, you need to be a reliable partner and a good example for your children.

To become something, you have to start doing it. Over time, it will become part of who you are. Even if it isn’t true about you right now, it can always become a reality if you commit yourself to it. Let’s say you had a difficult adolescence and fell behind in school, but now you want to become a well-read, knowledgeable person. Then you start reading. And book after book, you will gain the knowledge you once missed out on.

So every day, be the premise for what you want to become tomorrow. Want a promotion? Give your best at work. Want a good relationship? Go out with someone of quality and be loyal to them. Want to be healthy? Put out the cigarette and go for a walk.

The future isn’t something that simply happens to you. It is in your hands. The choices you make today are the key to it.