Carpe diem versus Do it Now!

Is there a difference between seizing the day or doing something right now?  They both carry the connotation of immediacy but when you think about it, there is a huge difference between the two.  If you ‘Do it now’ it’s immediate and spontaneous; there’s nothing wrong with taking advantage of right now.  In fact, I would say that doing things right when you think of them is a great hedge against procrastination.  There’s no time to second guess or get anxious.  Taking action immediately avoids the otherwise inevitable self-doubt and regret.  The rewards can be great too.  How many times have you done something on the spur of the moment and it turned out to be one of the best times of your life?  I think we all have stories like that.

But sometimes action without contemplation is unrewarding, even dangerous. Second guessing can and is very important; life-saving even.  I know we all have stories about how we should have just taken an extra moment to think about the consequences.  It happens and we all make mistakes. The key is to learn how to identify the positive spontaneous moments and the negative thoughtless ones.

Seizing the day, however, is a different, though similar concept.  I see it as taking advantage of what you have before you to the fullest.  Recognizing the positive elements of a situation to not only make the best of it, but drive the situation toward an eventful, enjoyable, learning experience that enriches and benefits your life.  This requires not just being spontaneous, but being expediently contemplative or ‘thinking fast’, keeping in mind the obvious possible positive and negative outcomes.  So what does this mean?

I’d say seize the day now, just think about it…quickly!