If the Russians decided to launch nuclear war and you had 18 minutes until the end of the world, what would you do with those moments?
Call the people you love the most? Pray? Drink? Work? Eat all the donuts? Cry and regret your choices?
Guess what? You are going to die, but probably not in 18 minutes. But those choices you regret? You can start correcting them today. And you should talk to the people you love the most regularly because something could happen to take them from you. As the Stoics say: Momento Mori. Remember Death.
We all die, do you truly live?
We all have a death sentence, we just don’t know when it will be carried out nor how. Given this dire situation, the logical and emotionally sustainable thing is to live each day as if it were your last, and simultaneously like you have another 40 years left.
Squeeze the most out of each day, but in a manner that leaves tomorrow in as good shape (or better) than today because there could be thousands of tomorrows. Or none.
Empty your tank each day but not your bank account.
Have no regrets at the end of the day, nor any more when you wake up the next morning.
Tell them you love them.
Workout.
Eat healthy, but have dessert.
Push yourself, but not over the limit.
Have that adult beverage, but not seven.
Take that class and learn something.
Stephen Covey talks about the balance between Production and Production Potential, taking for today and investing for tomorrow. Find the right balance for you.
Work on something significant daily, even if you don’t make significant progress on it today.
Stop and smell the roses and watch the sunset, but then get back to your work of being a productive human being. This is both work for pay and work on yourself and your relationships. Enjoy and strengthen your friendships and body and mind.
Balance Daniel-San as Miyagi said decades ago, and Daniel reminds himself and his students.
Enjoy but not to the point of not being able to enjoy tomorrow.
Our Doomsday clock is ticking, we just don’t know if it is a quarter of an hour or a quarter of a century until it strikes midnight and it is done. Under either scenario you should make sure you are ok with those you love, those who love you, and yourself.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
