--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many people live habitually as if the…" description: "\"Many people live habitually as if the present moment were an obstacle that they need to overcome in order to get to the next moment, and imagine living..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/eckhart-tolle-81_enough_many-people-live-habitually-as-if-the-pr_2901285.jpg" --- # Many people live habitually as if the present moment were… ![“Many people live habitually as if the present moment were an obstacle that they need to overcome in order to get to the next moment, and imagine living your whole live like that. Always, this moment is not quite good enough because you need to get to the next one.” quote by Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/eckhart-tolle-81_enough_many-people-live-habitually-as-if-the-pr_2901285.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/eckhart-tolle-81_enough_many-people-live-habitually-as-if-the-pr_2901285.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/eckhart-tolle-81_enough_many-people-live-habitually-as-if-the-pr_2901285.jpg) > “Many people live habitually as if the present moment were an obstacle that they need to overcome in order to get to the next moment, and imagine living your whole live like that. Always, this moment is not quite good enough because you need to get to the next one.” [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People treat the present as a hurdle, constantly chasing future moments, never fully experiencing now. **In simple terms:** Living in the present is often avoided for future goals. Key Takeaway Embrace each moment fully. Themes mindfulness presence habit time self-awareness Mood reflective calm Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - daily routines - meditation - stress management - goal setting - relationship building Key Concepts existentialism psychology temporal perception Questions to Reflect On - How does constantly seeking the next moment affect your happiness? - What practices help you stay present? A Different Perspective The future still matters; balance present enjoyment with planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) [Habitual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habitual/) [Habitually Present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habitually-present-588818/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Live Habitually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-habitually-1444554/) [Moment Obstacle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment-obstacle-4127343/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Moments in time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments-in-time/) [Need Overcome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-overcome-635990/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-time/) [Obstacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacles/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Present moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-moment/) [The next one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-next-one/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) ## Related quotes > [Out of the millions of people we live among, most of whom we habitually ignore and are ignored by in turn, there are always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/out-of-the-millions-of-people-we-live-among-most-of-whom-we/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Make the present moment your friend rather than your enemy. Because many people live habitually as if the present moment were an obstacle that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harris/make-the-present-moment-your-friend-rather-than-your-enemy-because/) [Dan Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harris/) > [“Make the present moment your friend rather than your enemy. Because many people live habitually as if the present moment were an obstacle that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-harris/make-the-present-moment-your-friend-rather-than-your-enemy-because-2/) [Dan Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-harris/) > [Most people treat the present moment as if it were an obstacle that they need to overcome. Since the present moment is life itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/most-people-treat-the-present-moment-as-if-it-were-an-obstacle-that/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Most humans live in the mindset that this moment is only important because it's getting them to the next one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/most-humans-live-in-the-mindset-that-this-moment-is-only-important/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [When you drop your expectations that a person, a situation, a place, or an object should fulfill you, it's easier to be present in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-drop-your-expectations-that-a-person-a-situation-a-place-or/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Be alert and present and see that your identity is not from your past story; who you truly are is the alert presence that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/be-alert-and-present-and-see-that-your-identity-is-not-from-your-past/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Presence is when you're no longer waiting for the next moment, believing that the next moment will be more fulfilling than this one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/presence-is-when-you-re-no-longer-waiting-for-the-next-moment/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [You are not 'in the now;' you are the now. That is your essential identity-the only thing that never changes. Life is always now.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/you-are-not-in-the-now-you-are-the-now-that-is-your-essential/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [When you say “yes” to the “isness” of life, when you accept this moment as it is, you can feel a sense of spaciousness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-say-yes-to-the-isness-of-life-when-you-accept-this-moment-as/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Do we have a brain? Than use it. It's all you need to overcome a problem. That's the secret. That's my simple but powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/do-we-have-a-brain-than-use-it-it-s-all-you-need-to-overcome-a/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [“All we have to do is ask and believe that God will work on our behalf and give us what we need to overcome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracie-miles/all-we-have-to-do-is-ask-and-believe-that-god-will-work-on-our-behalf/) [Tracie Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracie-miles/) > [I feel like our zodiac signs give us the challenges that we all need to overcome ourselves to be right beings of life living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bigheartedperson/i-feel-like-our-zodiac-signs-give-us-the-challenges-that-we-all-need/) [BigHeartedPerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bigheartedperson/) > [Take as long as you need to overcome something, whether it takes you for long, that is your time. Take as long as necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley/take-as-long-as-you-need-to-overcome-something-whether-it-takes-you/) [Shirley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley/) > [“What is it that we need to overcome in order to truly be “Ourselves”?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/what-is-it-that-we-need-to-overcome-in-order-to-truly-be-ourselves/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) ## More by Eckhart Tolle > [“The voice in the head that never stops speaking becomes a civilization that is obsessed with form and therefore knows nothing of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-voice-in-the-head-that-never-stops-speaking-becomes-a/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“A powerful spiritual practice is consciously to allow the diminishment of ego when it happens without attempting to restore it. I recommend that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/a-powerful-spiritual-practice-is-consciously-to-allow-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [To become aware of the subtlety of nature you need to be alert. The moment you become alert you become still... thinking subsides. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/to-become-aware-of-the-subtlety-of-nature-you-need-to-be-alert-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-are-not-honoring-the-present-moment-by-allowing-it-to-be-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [On a deeper level you are already complete. When you realize that, there is a joyous energy behind what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/on-a-deeper-level-you-are-already-complete-when-you-realize-that/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/life-will-give-you-whatever-experience-is-most-helpful-for-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [You may not yet be able to bring your unconscious mind activity into awareness as thoughts, but it will always be reflected in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/you-may-not-yet-be-able-to-bring-your-unconscious-mind-activity-into/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“War is a mind-set, and all action that comes out of such a mind-set will either strengthen the enemy, the perceived evil, or, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/war-is-a-mind-set-and-all-action-that-comes-out-of-such-a-mind-set/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Whenever you step out of the noise of thinking, that is meditation, and a different state of consciousness arises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whenever-you-step-out-of-the-noise-of-thinking-that-is-meditation-and/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Get the inside right, and the outside will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/get-the-inside-right-and-the-outside-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [It is very hard to tell when I started to be a spiritual teacher. There was a time when occasionally somebody would come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/it-is-very-hard-to-tell-when-i-started-to-be-a-spiritual-teacher/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Most people spend their entire life imprisoned within the confines of their own thoughts. They never go beyond a narrow, mind-made, personalized sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/most-people-spend-their-entire-life-imprisoned-within-the-confines-of/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Let the end of the world be inside you, then you don't need to fear the end of the world out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/let-the-end-of-the-world-be-inside-you-then-you-don-t-need-to-fear/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Jeste li zabrinuti? Razmišljate li često: »Što bi bilo da sam...?« To znači da ste se poistovjetili s umom, koji se projicira u neku…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/jeste-li-zabrinuti-razmi-ljate-li-esto-to-bi-bilo-da-sam-to-zna-i-da/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) [Explore all 1,493 Eckhart Tolle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## More Enough quotes > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) [Rena Kornreich Gelissen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rena-kornreich-gelissen/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [New York is large, glamorous, easy-going, kindly and incurious, but above all it is a crucible - because it is large enough to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/new-york-is-large-glamorous-easy-going-kindly-and-incurious-but-above/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) [Browse all 23,898 Enough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many people live habitually as if the present moment were an obstacle that they need to overcome in order to get to the next moment, and imagine living your whole live like that. Always, this moment is not quite good enough because you need to get to the next one.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eckhart Tolle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/many-people-live-habitually-as-if-the-present-moment-were-an-obstacle/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enough" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/many-people-live-habitually-as-if-the-present-moment-were-an-obstacle/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/eckhart-tolle-81_enough_many-people-live-habitually-as-if-the-pr_2901285.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/eckhart-tolle-81_enough_many-people-live-habitually-as-if-the-pr_2901285.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fa/eckhart-tolle-81_enough_many-people-live-habitually-as-if-the-pr_2901285.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Many people live habitually as if the present moment were an obstacle that they need to overcome in order to…” — Eckhart Tolle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eckhart Tolle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Many people live habitually as if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/many-people-live-habitually-as-if-the-present-moment-were-an-obstacle/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/many-people-live-habitually-as-if-the-present-moment-were-an-obstacle/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```