I’m currently reading “Tool of Titans” by Tim Ferris.
Awesome book.
Get it and read it, you’ll be glad you did.
It’ll probably take you a year to read, the thing is a monster, 600+ pages.
Or maybe I’m just a slow reader.
In any event, it’s worth the time investment.
The Tail End
In the book, Tim references a blog post titled, “The Tail End“.
It provides a visual perspective of how much time we have left to live (assuming a lifespan of 90 years) that is so in your face and real it’s crazy.
In the post, Tim Urban (the writer) breaks down how many super bowls and winters he has left to enjoy.
How many more books he’ll have a chance to read.
Days left remaining to spend with family and friends.
And several other events along with how much time left to experience each one.
How Much Time Do I have Left To Live?
If I apply this formula to my own life, it would mean I have only 50 more opportunities to enjoy Thanksgiving Day with family and friends.
50 more Christmas Seasons to enjoy (I love Christmas).
And at the current rate that I see my family (twice per year for an average of 5 days each time), that would mean I have a total of 500 days left to see them.
Less actually since some are older than I am.
Man, whose idea was it to write this newsletter?
It’s making me sad… and aware, very aware.
I wrote about this same topic over a year ago in a blog post that you can read here about figuring out how much time you have left to live and what to do about it.
In addition, Scott Dinsmore, founder of Live Your Legend, covered this topic as well in this blog post he wrote two years ago where he asked the question…
“How would you live differently today if you knew you were going to die in exactly six months?”
What’s eerie and sad is 7 months after writing that blog post, Scott was killed while attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
I bring this up not to be grave, but to give us all a jolt of…
“Wake The F Up!”
Mortality Is Scary But Worth Discussing
Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, but I seem to have a greater sense of awareness when it comes to my mortality, more now than ever before.
How about you?
You ever give that much thought?
How much time you have left to live?
Maybe you don’t and I’m just a nut.
That’s quite possible.
It’s a sensitive and scary subject (I think it is) although one that I feel is important to talk about.
Why?
Our Time Here Is Limited
Our days are numbered.
Cliché perhaps but accurate…. Life is short.
All the more reason to evaluate what we spend our time thinking about.
What we spend our time feeling.
What we spend our time doing.
And who we spend our time with.
I don’t think anyone’s ever stated it better or more clearer than Steve Jobs did during his 2005 Stanford Commencement Speech where he stated…
“Remembering that you are going to die is the
best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you
have something to lose. You are already naked.
There is no reason not to follow your heart.”
Don’t Wait
If you want lose weight, get fit, and feel great – start working on that today!
Don’t wait.
It you want to run a race or get back into “fighting” shape as they say – get on in!
Don’t wait.
If you want to laugh, live, enjoy, grow, experience, and contribute more – begin immediately!
Don’t wait.
If you have dreams, goals, and aspirations of a better future, for yourself and loves ones, get working on them ASAP!
Don’t wait.
If you have a bucket list and you haven’t looked at it in a while, pick at least one and get it done this year!
Don’t wait.
If you’ve been living in a past marred by failure, loss, rejection, and disappointment, commit today to stop going through life looking in the rear view mirror and start looking ahead instead.
Don’t wait.
Your Past Does Not Equal Your Future
So you’ve stumbled a few times… so what.
I say that respectfully.
If you’re like me, you’ve stumbled a bunch of times.
So what.
We can sit, be pissed, sad, or angry about the days that didn’t go our way and the life boxes (see The Tail End blog post) that have already been checked off.
And as we sit sad, pissed, or angry, we waste what’s left of our valuable unchecked boxes we on shit that’s already happened and more often than not, matters little.
Do Something Versus Nothing
We don’t have to be the best, let’s just commit to always giving our best.
We don’t have to be perfect, let’s commit to daily progress instead.
We don’t have to do it all (I sure want to though), let’s commit to doing some versus none.
The some that we know we want.
The some that we think about all the time.
The some we know would change our lives for the better and those around us.
The some we know would bring us joy and happiness.
Whatever that “some” is for you, start it now.
Don’t wait.
Make The Most Of Your Unchecked Boxes
And if you’ve already started and have fell once or 100 times, dust yourself off and get back at it.
We only have so many unchecked boxes left.
“Time is free, but it’s priceless.
You can’t own it, but you can use it.
You can’t keep it, but you can spend it.
Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.”
Chase health, chase happiness, be your best self.
Don’t wait.
Thanks for being here.
You’re awesome…
Cheers!
Mike
