Hurrying and delaying are alike ways of trying to resist the present.

The quote “Hurrying and delaying are alike ways of trying to resist the present” goes deep into our perception of time and our interaction with the present moment. Essentially, it suggests that both rushing through tasks (hurrying) and putting them off (delaying) are means of avoiding full engagement with the current moment.

When we hurry, we’re often focused on the future, on what’s next. We’re rushing to complete our current task not because we’re fully invested in it, but because we’re eager to move on to the next thing. We’re not truly present in what we’re doing; we’re mentally already in the future.

Conversely, when we delay, we’re resisting the present by clinging to the past or a previous state of inaction. We’re not ready to move forward, to embrace change and take on the task in front of us. We’re mentally still stuck in the past.

Both of these behaviors—hurrying and delaying—prevent us from fully experiencing and engaging with the present moment. They’re ways of resisting the here and now, of not being fully present and attentive to our current actions and experiences.

In today’s fast-paced, always-connected world, this idea is more relevant than ever. We’re constantly rushing from one task to the next, always looking ahead to what’s next, rarely taking the time to fully engage with what we’re doing right now. At the same time, procrastination is a common problem, with many of us delaying tasks and decisions, avoiding the present moment.

In terms of personal development, this quote could be seen as a call to mindfulness—to the practice of being fully present and engaged in the current moment. It suggests that we should neither rush through tasks nor put them off, but rather approach them with full attention and engagement. By doing so, we can live more fully in the present, rather than constantly looking forward to the future or back to the past. This can lead to greater satisfaction and fulfillment, as well as improved productivity and effectiveness.