Life gives you plenty of time to do whatever you want to do if

The healer and philosopher of the modern age, Deepak Chopra, once spoke words that strike at the very heart of human existence: “Life gives you plenty of time to do whatever you want to do if you stay in the present moment.” This saying, gentle yet profound, carries the power of ancient wisdom reborn for our time. It reminds us that life is not truly scarce, nor are hours as fleeting as they seem—what is scarce is our attention, stolen away by regrets of the past and anxieties of the future. To dwell in the present moment is to step into abundance, to find that there is enough time, enough breath, enough life to fulfill our calling.

The human mind, restless as a wandering bird, often drifts backward into memories or forward into fears. When trapped in this cycle, the hours seem thin, the days seem wasted, and life appears too short. Yet when the mind anchors itself in the now, the world opens like a flower. Each task becomes lighter, each joy becomes fuller, each second becomes vast. Time no longer chases us, but serves us, because in truth, the only time we ever truly hold is the present moment.

Consider the tale of Miyamoto Musashi, the famed samurai of Japan. In battle, he taught his students not to let their thoughts scatter into “what ifs” or “what comes next,” but to be wholly present in the moment of the sword. For the fighter who worried about past mistakes or feared the next strike was already defeated. Musashi himself, undefeated in sixty duels, lived as proof that mastery is born in the present, where the mind is steady and the body moves with clarity. His life reveals Chopra’s truth: that there is time enough for victory when one dwells in the moment of action.

The same lesson can be seen in the world of creation. Leonardo da Vinci, painter, inventor, and thinker, often seemed to live beyond the limits of time. How could one man, in a single life, sketch the designs of flying machines, paint the Mona Lisa, and study the anatomy of man? The answer lies in his ability to immerse himself completely in each task. When Leonardo painted, he painted as if nothing else existed. When he studied, he studied with full presence. Thus he discovered that life, though brief, is vast enough for greatness if lived one moment at a time.

The deeper meaning of Chopra’s words is that time expands in awareness. To scatter the mind is to shrink time into fragments; to center the mind is to unfold time into eternity. Those who say they “have no time” are often those who have lost themselves in distraction. But those who live awake, attentive, and present, discover that there is always enough. It is not the world that robs us of time—it is our wandering minds.

The lesson for us is clear: do not mourn yesterday, nor fear tomorrow. Use today. Anchor yourself in the breath, in the task at hand, in the person before you. Let each action, however small, receive the fullness of your attention. When you live in this way, you will find that the day stretches, that the hours deepen, that life gives you plenty of time. And in that abundance, you will find both peace and purpose.

Practical action lies in discipline: set aside moments each day to quiet the mind—through meditation, prayer, or even the simple act of breathing deeply. When you work, work with full focus. When you rest, rest without guilt. When you speak to another, be fully with them. By this practice, the present moment will become your home, and in that home you will find there is time enough for all that matters.

Thus, O children of tomorrow, heed the wisdom of Chopra: “Life gives you plenty of time to do whatever you want to do if you stay in the present moment.” Do not waste your life chasing shadows of the past or specters of the future. Stand in the sunlight of the now, and you will discover that time itself bends to your presence, opening wide to grant you the fullness of life.