1/ On Dying In A Year
I was thinking about this phrase the other day "Live every day as if it is your last"
It is a very popular saying, you are supposed to appreciate each day each day, something like that.
People inspo-tweet it a lot.
I was thinking about this phrase the other day "Live every day as if it is your last"
It is a very popular saying, you are supposed to appreciate each day each day, something like that.
People inspo-tweet it a lot.
2/ And I concluded that this phrase was unhelpful to me.
I most definitely do not "live every day as if it was my last" and I am pretty sure nothing in my life would be improved if I did.
Because if I try to do that, I envision something very different than what is intended.
I most definitely do not "live every day as if it was my last" and I am pretty sure nothing in my life would be improved if I did.
Because if I try to do that, I envision something very different than what is intended.
3/ Theoretical last day: "smelling the roses and appreciating the ocean waves"
Actual last day: "console crying family. fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. where is my will? are we sure we know who is on the multi-sig? did i call everyone? fuck, fuck, fuck. do I tweet 'bye'?"
Actual last day: "console crying family. fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. where is my will? are we sure we know who is on the multi-sig? did i call everyone? fuck, fuck, fuck. do I tweet 'bye'?"
4/ So I get it is a metaphor, but the metaphor does not work at all for me.
Instead of getting more appreciative about a cat chasing a butterfly on a spring afternoon, I get super stressed which I think is the opposite of what is intended.
Instead of getting more appreciative about a cat chasing a butterfly on a spring afternoon, I get super stressed which I think is the opposite of what is intended.
5/ So I asked myself? Is there a variation that is better? That is more useful to me? That can be used as shorthand to improve my life decisions?
And I think I found one, so I am going to share with you.
"Live each day as if you are going to die in 1 year"
And I think I found one, so I am going to share with you.
"Live each day as if you are going to die in 1 year"
6/ The terms and conditions of the metaphor.
✅It is 100% certain you will be dead in exactly one year, you can't do anything about it, no point in trying to escape.
✅You will be in your current health and financial position until then.
✅It is 100% certain you will be dead in exactly one year, you can't do anything about it, no point in trying to escape.
✅You will be in your current health and financial position until then.
7/ In fact, if you want to really amp it up, do it like this.
Angel of Death: "you are going to be dead tomorrow"
You: "fuck, fuck, fuck, so much to do, so unfair, what has befallen me, etc"
Angel: "OK, OK, OK, stop whining, I will give you a year's extension"
Angel of Death: "you are going to be dead tomorrow"
You: "fuck, fuck, fuck, so much to do, so unfair, what has befallen me, etc"
Angel: "OK, OK, OK, stop whining, I will give you a year's extension"
8/ Now we are in the proper frame of mind.
We were going to be dead tomorrow, but we got a reprieve.
We have a whole year, a whole 365 days. Now, we have something to work with.
Let's make a plan.
We were going to be dead tomorrow, but we got a reprieve.
We have a whole year, a whole 365 days. Now, we have something to work with.
Let's make a plan.
9/ Step 1: Knock out the logistics.
Wills, multi-sigs, S3 account, who is going to get your signed baseball card.
I think you should front-load this in week 1 and get it done so we don't spend the next 51 weeks stressing about it.
Wills, multi-sigs, S3 account, who is going to get your signed baseball card.
I think you should front-load this in week 1 and get it done so we don't spend the next 51 weeks stressing about it.
10/ Step 2: Family
Yes, tell them you love them of course, but also plan that special activity (cruise? dinner? hike? whatever) that they always wanted to do with you.
Think about what you want to tell them in the future, tell them now, but also write some of it down.
Yes, tell them you love them of course, but also plan that special activity (cruise? dinner? hike? whatever) that they always wanted to do with you.
Think about what you want to tell them in the future, tell them now, but also write some of it down.
11/ Step 3: Friends
Your friends from different stages in your life that you have not spoken to in months/years?
Pick up the phone and call them.
Shoot the shit, reminisce, maybe organize a reunion?
Your friends from different stages in your life that you have not spoken to in months/years?
Pick up the phone and call them.
Shoot the shit, reminisce, maybe organize a reunion?
12/ Step 4: Travel
The "bucket list" is now real - the bucket is looming on the horizon
You always wanted to do a road trip of the Norwegian fjords? Xmas in Vienna? Backpack in Vietnam? Football in Rio? Big Sur?
Well, now is the time!
You have a year, you can do it.
The "bucket list" is now real - the bucket is looming on the horizon
You always wanted to do a road trip of the Norwegian fjords? Xmas in Vienna? Backpack in Vietnam? Football in Rio? Big Sur?
Well, now is the time!
You have a year, you can do it.
13/ Step 5: Work
What are the important things you think you want to leave behind before you bucket-out? What is irrelevant bullshit?
Now is the time for hyper-focus.
What happens when you are gone? Give your team the authority from now to lead, to get ready.
What are the important things you think you want to leave behind before you bucket-out? What is irrelevant bullshit?
Now is the time for hyper-focus.
What happens when you are gone? Give your team the authority from now to lead, to get ready.
14/ Step 6: Your avocational interests
You wanted to perfect your Neapolitan Pizza?
You wanted to climb that mountain?
You planned to finish that indie short film you were working on?
Guess what, now is the time, get your act together and do it.
You wanted to perfect your Neapolitan Pizza?
You wanted to climb that mountain?
You planned to finish that indie short film you were working on?
Guess what, now is the time, get your act together and do it.
15/ Step 7: Logistics, Part II
Time to organize your physical stuff (junk?)
What is truly valuable financially or emotionally?
What would you like your family to inherit and feel guilty about throwing away? Tell them.
For the rest, call Marie Kondo.
Time to organize your physical stuff (junk?)
What is truly valuable financially or emotionally?
What would you like your family to inherit and feel guilty about throwing away? Tell them.
For the rest, call Marie Kondo.
16/ Step 8: Charity
Have you been telling yourself that you are planning to contribute (financially or otherwise) to Cause That Is Important To You?
Clock is ticking.
Time to get on with it, do your part in making the world a bit better, do something for others too.
Have you been telling yourself that you are planning to contribute (financially or otherwise) to Cause That Is Important To You?
Clock is ticking.
Time to get on with it, do your part in making the world a bit better, do something for others too.
17/ Step 9: You
There are personal things (probably) that you really want to do, to ask, to say, but you suppress them because of fear of what might happen, of embarrassment, of risk.
Well -- the worst has already happened - go ahead and do them.
You have nothing to lose.
There are personal things (probably) that you really want to do, to ask, to say, but you suppress them because of fear of what might happen, of embarrassment, of risk.
Well -- the worst has already happened - go ahead and do them.
You have nothing to lose.
18/ There is an anti-list too, things that we are probably not going to waste the next 365 days on?
✅procrastinating
✅petty drama/fights
✅whining/complaining
✅small distractions
✅road rage
In this model, we WILL smell the roses and admire the ocean waves.
✅procrastinating
✅petty drama/fights
✅whining/complaining
✅small distractions
✅road rage
In this model, we WILL smell the roses and admire the ocean waves.
19/ Let me try again, a new visualization.
You crashed the car today, you have a few seconds of clarity on "all the things you did not do" and then you get a reprieve, you get a year to "die more properly" to "die with a more proper ordering of your life"
To do the above.
You crashed the car today, you have a few seconds of clarity on "all the things you did not do" and then you get a reprieve, you get a year to "die more properly" to "die with a more proper ordering of your life"
To do the above.
20/ So read that list again, the "last year of your life" list
It is the list of **how you should live your life anyway**
That list will make your life better, will make you happier, will make you a better spouse, kid, parent, friend, colleague, citizen
It is the list of **how you should live your life anyway**
That list will make your life better, will make you happier, will make you a better spouse, kid, parent, friend, colleague, citizen
21/ I expect I have many decades of life in front of me.
But life is so very very short.
You overestimate how quickly the decades will slip away, how your family, friends, dreams will recede in the distance.
x.com
But life is so very very short.
You overestimate how quickly the decades will slip away, how your family, friends, dreams will recede in the distance.
x.com
22/ We overestimate the day-to-day nonsense and underestimate the big things, the important things.
We are all already dead. Every one of us.
But the Angel of Death has given us a reprieve.
It might be a month, a year, 5 years, 20 years, 50 years.
We are all already dead. Every one of us.
But the Angel of Death has given us a reprieve.
It might be a month, a year, 5 years, 20 years, 50 years.
23/ Take that reprieve and run with it.
It is the best gift anyone could ever give you.
Live the best year of your life this year, and then again the next year, and then every year after that.
LFG, and good luck to all of us, on this, the most important of missions.
It is the best gift anyone could ever give you.
Live the best year of your life this year, and then again the next year, and then every year after that.
LFG, and good luck to all of us, on this, the most important of missions.
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