The Now Moment: A Spiritual Means to an End

Those who seek rewards in the afterlife strive to be good people while still alive, but not for rewards while still alive. This form of reward seeking as a spiritual pursuit that transcends life and living in this lifetime is the basis of all religious and spiritual thought, and is often embraced by those who HAVE nothing while they are alive, which is not to say this belief is entirely wrong, but religious life considers life a means to an end of rewards after death as this mortal life offers them nothing most of the time.

Those who do not seek to attain paradise after death as most do, (the secular world) will seek to attain "real estate" in Paradise while still alive, with material possessions,  career advancement, pleasure, power, influence, fame fortune, popularity, authority, respect, and status. People who seek this latter group of attainment for the most part do not put much stock in what happens to them AFTER they die. They're either afraid or in denial there is any existence of anything or any continuation of existence or feeling after death, so they set out "live life to the fullest cuz there ain't nothing waiting for you afterward". This latter group tends to follow the most ruthless trail while alive. This group considers life a means to an end while still alive, often because much prosperity has simply been given to them on some level.

The problem with both groups is both the secular and religious world have grown into a form of existence in THIS lifetime that says "Keep your eyes on the prize. The prize will be awarded to you either while you are still alive or after your dead, on a spiritual level. Both encourage one to neglect the true meaning of life, which is living and taking action in the Now. Living in the Moment, from moment to moment. No one on earth or in the history of earth is as powerful as someone who has truly acknowledge, realized, and figured out how to live in the Now Moment.