Time-Limited
If you’ve spent any time in internet marketing circles, you’re well aware of the impact that scarcity has on people’s willingness to act.
This is why all of those courses are closing soon. It’s why the special offer has a timer that will run out very soon.
It’s why the offer I’m about to make is time-limited.
2262 weeks, and counting…
I am currently 43. If I live to be 80, according to my math, and the premise of Oliver Burkeman’s book 4000 weeks, I’m a little over 56% of the way through my life. The funny thing, is that I only recently started to feel like me.
Self-discovery happens both as a deliberate activity, and something that we passively learn through the recognition of our own patterns. Additionally, as our lives progress, we learn new things about how we react to different conditions.
- I’m married now — for the second time.
- I have kids.
- I’m at a point in my career where I feel more comfortable.
And looking back now, I can see that I’ve missed many opportunities to be fully present during some of life’s more interesting time limited opportunities. The reason why has to do with our innate tendency to look forward in our lives to what comes next, rarely stopping to appreciate what is, right now. I often catch myself doing that now but am quickly snapped back to reality seeing my children grow up. The time moves so fast, why didn’t I hold on a little harder, stay present a little longer, indulge the moment a minute longer?
If you’ve ever felt that way, take a moment to ask yourself: what does that do to us?
Adventure Awaits
Some of the best moments of my entire life took place while on a vacation. These are times I remember vividly, and that I was largely mentally present, throughout.
And yet, I don’t do everything in my power to go on more vacations. I don’t consider that all of my future adventures will happen in the remaining 44% of my life.
Adventure is out there, and every passing day, week, month or year that I do not indulge it, is an adventure lost to time.
Zone Defense
Once in a while I have an amazing idea while I’m driving or about to go to sleep and I take the chance to write it down or dictate a note. Other times, I let it go.
Sometimes I’ll really be in the flow of something important to me, and I’ll stop in the middle to take a call, or jump on a meeting that could be moved.
Whenever I fail to take advantage of being in the zone, I lose that moment of inspiration, that opportunity to capture what could be a difference maker, for me, or someone else.
I don’t defend my zone nearly enough. In the future, those moments where I failed to protect it, will be little more than inspiration lost in time.
The Last Hug
I lost my mom in 2020. I lost my dad this year. My dog is losing weight and kidney disease doesn’t seem interested in granting an extension.
Our time with those we love is limited. Sometimes we see the end coming. Other times, it happens out of nowhere. And yet we rationalize all the reasons why we don’t reach out and spend a little more time.
We’re busy. Oh, so busy…all of us. And we are. We are all, actually busy. But as someone busy who also just lost one of the most important people in my 43 years, I can confirm that none of the menial day-to-day stuff was worth trading for that time. And there is no upper limit to how many Zoom meetings I’d cancel for one more football Sunday with my dad.
In the year 2000
The year 2000 was just a few years ago. At least, that’s how it feels.
Blink and half (or 56%) of your life might be in the rear view mirror.
On the one hand, that can be really depressing. But it also might just be the wake up call we occasionally need.
Our time here is limited. In the end, our lives may matter and carry on for those we leave behind. Fast forward out far enough into the future and most likely none of us will still be remembered outside of some public records or abandoned web pages.
So, here’s my time limited offer:
Take the vacation. Be at all of the kid’s events. Put your phone down at the concert. Let a few balls drop at work. Be nice to the stranger you meet at the deli counter. Give the homeless person your last $10 bill.
Zoom in enough and take a deep breath to savor a moment even though it will be gone soon enough.
When you Zoom out so much that you see everything that stresses you out, Zoom out a little more and realize, our time is limited, and it’s yours, and yours alone, to choose what you do with it.