Grab a pen and paper, your tablet or computer. In truth, it doesn’t really matter what kind of writing or recording instrument that you choose. What matters most is that you take 30 seconds to write, type or record a list of the things you would regret not having done if you found out that today was your LAST DAY on this earth.
You can spare 30 measly seconds can’t you? Don’t procrastinate either, do this exercise right now. Thirty seconds that’s all this life changing exercise requires. No lengthy contemplation is necessary. Get your writing or recording device, set a timer for 30 seconds and begin. When the timer buzzes STOP writing or recording. That’s all there is to the exercise.
Chances are many of the things you list will be related to the goals and resolutions you said you wanted to accomplish in the New Year. My suspicion is that you are probably going to be like the person who was just diagnosed with a terminal illness – you are going to wish that you had more time. You are probably wishing that you had more than 30 seconds to write all the things that you would regret not having done if you learned that today was your LAST DAY on earth.
FINALITY OF LIFE
There is something about the finality of life that makes us more reflective, honest and appreciative of each and every moment of life that we are granted. It’s too bad that we can’t have this type of eyes open wide alert perspective each and every day. Regrettably, we don’t often contemplate the real meaning and value of life until we are faced with some great misfortune: our own major illness, discovering that someone we care for is ill or dying or some national tragedy occurs. Then and only then do we take pause to reflect for merely a brief moment about the meaning and value of life before we rush back to our previous sad state of existence.
SAD STATE OF EXISTENCE
I know my last statement “sad state of existence” may seem harsh or depressive but it’s true? Have you done what you set out to do beginning January 1st? Do you even remember those New Year’s resolutions? In case you forgot, I remember that you resolved to do things this year that would improve your life. You promised to do things that would be evidence that you were alive, an active participant, if you will, in your own life. You promised that you would lose weight, follow your passion to a new career, live in the moment, get in the best shape ever, get out of debt, repair broken relationships, make more time for family and friends…etc.
In sum, if my memory serves me correctly what you resolved to do this year was LIVE. So on this the 47th day of the New Year I pose this question to you: Are you living or are you a member of the masses who are stuck in a “sad state of existence”? Are you living a life that is without regrets? Are you living your life with passion, intention, focus and urgency? Or are you still living each day currently – as you were at the end of last year and as most of us do consistently – without any real purpose or direction? Repetitively doing what we always do simply because it is what we have always done even when we know and are faced with overwhelming evidence that what we continue to do gets us no closer to experiencing life as it was intended?
MEANING OF LIFE
Just in case you were not aware of this LIFE is to be LIVED. Living is meant to be a word of action. As such, your life is meant to be a testament to achievement, growth, progress and improvement. All those things that you listed in the 30 second exercise are things that would let the world know that you actually existed and that you were a vital part of the continuation of humanity.
You do realize that humanity requires and counts on you to use your life for production – living to your life to the fullest extent possible so that humanity may continue to not only exist but advance? You didn’t think that you were born simply to be a consumer did you – to eat, to drink, to suck up oxygen, to watch reality TV…to participate in materialism? Life needs you to be a producer. Thankfully I think, Life is not a dictator. Instead of making you choose to do that which is in your and humanity’s best interest, Life gives you free will, the choice to be a producer or consumer. When you make the choice about existing or living, consuming or producing what you are actually doing is choosing between being among the living or non-living.
LIVING OR NON-LIVING
The question of which group you belong the living or non-living is akin to the philosophical debate about the tree that falls in a forest. “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” In a similar way it can be asked “if a person possesses mental clarity, a beating heart and lungs that breathe but they do not embrace living or improve the world in even some small way, did that person even exist? Stated another way, when you don’t make a sound because you are living as an inanimate object, a consumer, without passion, purpose, urgency and direction can you be defined as anything more than the clichéd tree in the forest? Just like philosophical debate about the tree, when you fall, when your life is over will anyone even know that you fell much less existed if while you have mental clarity, a beating heart and lungs that breathe you do not make a sound?
MAKE A SOUND
Review your list of potential regrets. Make copies of that list and post those copies in places that will remind you that life is to be lived as if today was your LAST DAY. Do it now while you still have the opportunity. Don’t leave the question of whether or not you existed to philosophical debate.
Make a sound, be a producer, change the world, improve the world, keep and fulfill your resolutions…live your life with no regrets!