For the past 33
years, I looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: if today were the
last day in my life, what I I’d wanna do? What am I about to do today?
And whenever the
answer has been no for too many days in a row, I know I need to change
something.
Remembering that I
will be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me
make the big choices in life, because almost everything, all external
expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure... these things
just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.
Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap
of thinking you have something to lose.
You are already
naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. About a year ago, I was
diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 07:30 in the morning and it clearly
showed a tumour on my pancreas.
I didn’t even know
what a pancreas was. The doctor told me this was almost certainly a type of
cancer that is incurable and that I should expect to live no longer than three
to six months.
My doctor advised
me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor code for “prepare to
die”. It means to try and tell your kids everything. You thought you’d have the
next ten years to tell. You’ve just a few months.
It means to make
sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your
family.
It means to say
your goodbyes.
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