“You are going to die, I don’t say to be morbid or sensational, I say it as a reminder”
These were the words to the opening lines of the video I discovered titled: Watch This Video Before You Die
I highly suggest you do watch it, not just for satiating the interest of click-bait. But earnestly consider your mortality, this post is essentially a personal commentary of the insights from this video.
Matt D’Avella is right, of course it’s obvious that death is inevitable, but it’s a reality I easily overlooked. The video held a particularly interesting discussion. The largest regret for people on their deathbed, was not in what they did. But in what they didn’t do, in living a life others expected or wanted of them. It provided this vivid image. When presented with an opportunity to pursue your ambition.
Picture yourself on your deathbed looking back onto this moment. Will your future self regret not doing it? If yes, then it’s clear what you must do!
Additionally it addressed an important aspect of goal-making. Despite our knowledge of death impending, and the simplicity of merely pursuing our goals. There was a quote which distinctly struck me.
“It’s human nature to put off our personal goals”
There are no deadlines to our personal aspirations, so it’s extremely easy to put them aside, and delay them. Oftentimes, we prioritize the other concerns or goals since these do have deadlines, and consequently we neglect our true desires. I’m very guilty of this, and undoubtedly I believe everyone is. However, having to address other priorities and responsibilities first is not a disruption to personal advancement. It’s unfair to simply dismiss these experiences as moments of delay. These are experiences which can contribute to meaningful growth and individual character. The importance is having the open-mindedness and willingness to confront these opportunities, even when unable to follow certain ambitions. So if in your situation it would be too unstable to choose an alternate path, the greatest priority is in developing through these experiences.
I was also struck by another striking quote:
Yes there is a cost to chasing after your dreams, but it pales in comparison to the cost of not doing it.
Even if we have to abandon comfort, familiarity, and stability in chasing a goal. Wouldn’t it be worth the sleepless nights, countless frustrations, and overwhelming disappointments if meaningful fulfillment is attained? After all, it certainly would be pointless in doing what you don’t want to do? This is your one shot after all. It’s not easy, it’s scary, and definitely not as appealing or simplistic as it seems. Yet objectively, the answer is strikingly clear for me. This doesn’t mean I should sacrifice all my current priorities and obligations in favor of what I truly desire, but to genuinely spend time in my life with a conscientious effort. Too often, I find myself on “autopilot”, mundanely listening at classes, and being indolent with my time. It’s perfectly understandable to want to ignore a class which is monotonous and mind-numbing, but in these moments should we not be willing to endure if it should grant success later?
Browsing into the comment section as I instinctively do (yes it’s a bad habit), I encountered another quote which encapsulated these thoughts eloquently:
“We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.” – Confucius.
I think everyone has heard the classic and popular adages to spend time as you like it, but to actually spend it as I like? Rather than just having the ability to exert my freedom, this reminder of death spurred me to act on it. It’s nearly a new year. There are possibly an unlimited number of things you might like to spend during it. So why not?
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