Question 1: Am I going to die?
Answer 1: Yes.
Question 2: When am I going to die?
Answer 2: To be determined.
Question 3: How am I going to die?
Answer 3: To be determined.
Simply sit with these three questions. Sit and truly think. It is remarkable what this can do for a person. Read below for my take on these questions.
Am I Going to Die?
This is an unequivocal yes. Everyone dies. How often is it thought about? In my humble opinion, not often enough. Simply sitting with the reality that death is a certainty can immediately have an impact on perspective. Assimilating it with growth behaviors and a purposeful mindset will shift the realization of our mortality from a morbid and frightening experience to one that is more profound and meaningful. Death is a natural part of biological experience in the universe. Let's stop ignoring it, fearing it and hiding from it.
When am I Going to Die?
This question and the uncertainty surrounding its answer warrant thought and discussion. Actuarially, you can get a rough estimate of how long you will live based on your age, gender, lifestyle, etc. But that is just a guess. You could take your last breath in your sleep tonight. This is not hyperbole or scare tactics. It is the absolute reality of the situation we are all in. If you knew you had a week to live, a month to live, a year to live... Would you be living differently than you are now? Would you be more virtuous? Would you work harder on your relationships or spend more time with family? Would you spend less time at the office or scrolling social media? The recognition that life is finite and that there is no way of knowing when the end is coming is the best tool there is to set priorities in our lives. There is only one shot at this life, so letting the hours, days, months and years pass by under the assumption that there is always going to be a tomorrow might be the greatest fallacy in human existence. Accepting that death has no scheduled appointment can help us live a more present and examined life. Paradoxically, the expectation that each day could be the last makes life better. I don't know when I am going to die, so everyday I want to act in a manner consistent with the way I would like to be remembered after I am gone.
How am I Going to Die?
Another question where the answer is TBD. This one is a bit different in that we acutally do have some degree of control, and that control is manifested in our lifestyle decisions. Some of the leading causes of death (not in order) are cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and diabetes. Each of these diseases are preventable, to some extent, assuming there is a willingness to Compete against them. Sure, there are many causes of death that are not preventable such as accidents. The key here, as is the central tenant of Stoic Philosophy, is to concern ourselves with what we can control. We can control many risk factors associated with the primary killers of the modern world. Management of these risk factors also contributes to our living not just longer, but also better. It takes effort and attention to detail. This takes commitment. This is why we say Compete to Live.
Conclusion
Through consideration of these three questions, anyone can immediately and dramatically change the course of their life. Instead of waiting until we are about to die to consider death's ramifications, now is the time to pull our mortality out of the shadows. These questions provide the recipe that will allow anyone live in the present moment with their sights set on a long, healthy and joyful. Relationships will be built on deep connection as opposed to superficial interests. The key to the good life lies in our mortality. It is right there for all of us, and Compete to Live is here to help.
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