This is not a metaphor. I mean it literally.
You are literally running OUT OF TIME.
In the 15 seconds it took you to read the subject line, open this message, and get to this point in the post, you got 15 seconds older.
15 seconds closer to DEATH.
15 fewer seconds of remaining life to live.
Think about that. You are literally on the clock.
Here’s the toughest part of this: You have no idea how much time remains on YOUR personal clock.
According to data, the average American life expectancy is 79.25 years. I am, as of this writing, 42 years of age. So, I have less than half of my remaining time left to be here, according to averages.
Sometimes, people refer to those who are a few generations ahead of them – think of people who are your parents' age, or older – as “old,” in a snarky way. As if, because they are 20 or 30 or 40 years older than you, you have 20 or 30 or 40 years to “catch up” to where they are.
You have plenty of time, you think.
WRONG.
You have NO time.
I’ll prove it to you.
Question: Have you ever known, or heard of, someone who died at the exact age that you are today?
Of course you have. If you haven’t, just google it – type in, “died at age XX [your age]” – and you’ll see it.
Question: Do you think that person expected to die?
No, they didn’t – the same way you don’t expect to die before your next birthday either.
Who promised you the next ten years?
Nobody has promised you anything.
The point: Your time is limited. Extremely limited.
And you have no idea exactly how limited.
There is no guarantee that you will live long enough to catch up to those “old” people who you chuckle at. You should only be so lucky.
Yesterday, a guy who’s over the age of 70 told me that, by the time I get to his age – if I make it – I will deeply regret all the time that I wasted in the relative youth that I am living right now.
He told me to have MORE of a sense of urgency, DOUBLE my speed, and get as much DONE now as I can, so I have a little regret as possible, if and when I make it to his age.
He was 100% correct. I am passing the message onto you. Even if you’re older than me.
Your time is running out. You are literally not promised tomorrow, let alone next week, next month, or next year.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan for the future, but it also means you shouldn’t act as if it is guaranteed to you. Because you logically understand that it’s not. Now you need to get your emotions to understand it.
Behave as if today is the only day you have. Because it is.
With that in mind, what have you been putting off?
What have you been telling yourself you’ll “get to tomorrow,” for the last 60 “tomorrows”?
What do you keep procrastinating on, that you have the capability of doing, but just haven’t had the urgency or the initiative to actually do?
How would you feel if you died tomorrow, and your friends and family found your list of things that you didn’t do that you could’ve easily done? What do you think they’ll think about you? How will that help your legacy?
Your clock is ticking.
Tick, tock.
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