You have to and it doesn’t matter if you want to but there is going to be a day when you have to deal with the idea of death. The reason that we’re talking about this today is very simple and I had a conversation with one of my colleagues, friends from yesterday and this person—well, let’s just say, he didn’t enjoy the topic of death.
And I’ll tell you the reason why, as we moved into this conversation, it was clear that he was getting more uncomfortable and that’s not hard for me to do. It’s easy for me to make all of my friends ridiculously uncomfortable. It’s mostly because I don’t have a filter and—well, I just say whatever I wanna say. As we begin moving into this conversation about death and realizing that—yes, there’s going to be a day that you’re going to die. It was clear that this individual was not only getting mentally uncomfortable, but physically uncomfortable as well.
You see? I came to the conclusion later in our conversation that this individual had never actually talked to someone at length or at this depth about death. And so for someone like me who talks a lot about it and someone like me who’s come to terms with this idea, I wanted to share it with you guys today so let’s talk about death.
You see, whether you like it or not, there’s going to be a day in which you have to realize that you’re going to die. Death is a stark reality. That’s it. It’s the great equalizer all will experience, okay? Now, you can fill in any conspiracy as if you’d like but from where I’m sitting, every single person on the planet will experience death not only as a reality of your own life, but you will face death as a reality of other’s lives that you are merely a participant, maybe even passively so but you will experience death multiple times throughout your life.
Now, as I move closer to 40, guys, death is knocking on the door. Not for me but death is knocking on the door of colleagues, friends, network, people that I have heard about, known, communicated with, talked to, shaken hands, maybe even given a hug to. These are people that are dying.
DEATH AWARENESS
Now, studies have shown that thinking about death more often is actually healthy. It makes for a better healthy what the psychologists call “death awareness”. You’re aware that your life is limited. You’re aware that your life is fleeting. You’re aware that time is not forever for you.
Also studies have shown that thinking about death, not overly consistently, but having a healthy understanding of death increases to live well and die well and to begin to prepare. One of the things in the studies that I’ve read around people who think about death is they’re constantly prepared. Prepared for the imminence of this fact that they’re going to die. They take steps in their lives so that they don’t have to make their death a burden to others.
They exercise more. An increased intention or increased awareness around death helps people diet. They exercise. They go to the doctor more often. People who’ve a healthy understanding of death, studies have shown, are relatively happier because they live in reality as opposed to living in a fantasy world where you’re invincible.
And interestingly enough, people have a healthy understanding and healthy awareness of death tend to care more about others in their plights, in their suffering, as they go through life as well. You see? One of the things that I like and one of things that I have extracted from a healthy understanding of death is something that the psychologists have studied too.
But out of all the things that I talked about a healthy understanding of death makes you healthier, have a healthier death awareness. You increase intention to diet, exercise, go to doctors. It makes you live in reality as opposed to a fantasyland. It helps you become more empathetic, and care about others in their plights of life.
The thing that I extract the most…about a healthy understanding of death is that studies show that when you have a healthy understanding of your death, the imminence of death, that your goals in life become prioritized. Your goals in life get prioritized.
You are going to die. Let me remind you. Death is your reality. It’s the great equalizer. Everyone is going to experience this in one form, your own death, but a multiplicity of different forms as you deal with those who will pass around you. You see, for me, the fact that a healthy understanding of death focuses me towards my goals is what I have taken from this idea.
There’s two things that I want you to prioritize. The two goals that get prioritized whatever I think about death:
- “Am I doing what I love? Does it give me purpose?”
Whenever I have a healthy realization of death that my life is only temporary on this world and that I wanna do the most that I can with the limited time that I have, the first question that I ask is am I doing what I love and does it give me purpose?
Remember, we talked about this previously guys. No one is going to be here in a hundred years. What they think and what they say about you doesn’t matter because in a hundred years, they’re gonna be dead, you’re gonna be dead.
Are you doing what you love? Are you doing something that gives you purpose?
NOTHING TO LOSE
Here’s a great quote from the late Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs said, “Remembering you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.” Whooo! It cuts to the core, my friends. Look at me, guys. Look at me. I got Lambos. I got race cars. I had a custom-built home. I got a custom-built garage. I got two perfect kids, a beautiful wife. I have freedom that I’ve worked hard for through my efforts.
It would be easy to look at my life and say, “God, there’s so much to lose. All of the stuff that I’ve earned, all the stuff that I’ve gained, all the stuff that I have grinded for. Fuck it.” I have nothing to lose, I wake up every morning reminding myself that I have nothing to lose.
Oh, you did something that offended someone? Too bad. They’re gonna wake up tomorrow, they’re gonna forget about it, they will be unoffended tomorrow. Wake up tomorrow fail? People make fun of you? Too bad. Guess what, tomorrow? They’re gonna forget about you. They’re not gonna remember that you failed. They might. But they ain’t gonna say anything because yesterday, they said all their peace to your face and reminded you how much you suck.
Guys, I have nothing to lose in going for it, in doing what I dream of doing, the passions that are in my soul. I have nothing to lose. Let me give you a quote of a guy who had more than I had to lose Mr. Steve Jobs. He said, “Remembering you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.” Get over yourself, okay?
Get over yourself. You ain’t got nothing to lose. You think that car that you’re driving is yours? It ain’t yours. Let me remind you guys of something that I came to a realization that was so hurtful in my soul and it literally had me pause for a moment in life as I was marinating and thinking about this idea.
Let me give it to you plainly. The idea was very simple. I woke up one day and there was a moment in time which I realized that everything that I have created, everything that I’ve built is going to be owned and operated by someone else. You know this custom-house that I built, guys? This custom multi-million dollar house that I built? Guess what, someone else is gonna live in it. Someone else is gonna take a shit in all of my bathrooms. Someone’s gonna ride in my elevator that I built, that I customized.
You know what this Lamborghini? Someone’s gonna buy that and they’re probably gonna fuck it up. They’re probably gonna crash it. Someone’s gonna buy this race car and you know what? They’re probably gonna wreck it. Someone’s got to buy that Q7, someone’s gonna buy the Mini Coop. Nothing that I have today is mine. It’s all a loan.
Golly, only I wish I could take it with me, but frankly and I’m kind of glad I don’t because I got a lot of shit. Steve Jobs said, “Remembering you’re going to die is the best way to know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.” What are you holding onto?
- Goals get prioritized when you actively think about your imminent death.
“What do I want to leave behind?” What do I wanna leave behind? I had visions, my friends. I have visions of my family going through my shit when I’m dead.
You could have been the nicest guy in the world to everyone. Everyone loved you. You had a great funeral. People came, saw. They cried, they say the old man, Jim. He was a great guy. Jim did this. Jim did that. Jim was awesome. And then they’re gonna go back and they’re gonna rummage through your shit.
They just gonna find some shit that’s gonna make them change their opinion about you. Not that you care because you’re dead. Think about this, I have had thoughts about this. People going through my shit. You know, obviously, I can crack a joke and say all that pron stash—I don’t have a pron stash, okay? That’s not important to me. But there is a lot of shit that I got around here that frankly, I don’t want my family to go through.
What am I going to leave behind? Did I improve the world? Or let me put it this way, did I fucking try to change the world? Ain’t nobody gonna remember you. You think your life is important. It’s not. No, nobody gonna remember you, brother. Ain’t nobody gonna remember you, sister.
It’s true. Guess what, if you have kids, your kids are gonna remember you. If your kids have kids your kid’s kids—you’re grandparents—they’re kind of gonna remember you. Bbut after your kid’s kids have kids, you’re done. You’re gone. You poof! Never to be seen or heard of again.
Now, I might say, “Well, Peter, that’s ultimately depressing.” Well, brother, sister, wake the fuck up. You ain’t Bill Gates, okay? You ain’t Steve Jobs and neither am I. Let’s have a healthy dose of reality here. As successful as you think you thought you are, you ain’t nothing compared to some of the bigger guy so calm the fuck down, back the fuck up, and realize ain’t nobody gonna remember you.
So then what’s the thing? Well, for me–I’ll tell you what it is for me guys, what it is for me is have I impacted people? Have I impacted–have I helped people in this life? I’ll give you a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. He said this–he said, “To leave the world a bit better, to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived, this is to have succeeded.” Let me say that again, “To leave the world a bit better–just a bit better, to know that even one life–just one life, one person has breathed easier because you lived this is to have succeeded.” Ralph Waldo Emerson.
You see? People ain’t gonna remember you guys in a hundred years. People are certainly gonna–not gonna remember me. I hope they’re still using my system but you know a hundred years is a long time. You think Facebook’s gonna be around a hundred years? Brother, please. There’s gonna be better systems. Think about this. And nobody’s gonna remember you so how are you impacting people today? How are you leaving a legacy of impact not on things but how are you leaving an impact on people?
Understanding the reality of your death allows you to choose mentally. Choose for yourself how you want to pursue…this life. Let me say that again, understanding the reality of your death–understanding the reality of your death allows you to choose, how you wanna live. You are going to die and you’re going to be in the same place that I am—well, maybe not. Depending on whatever your belief structure but it don’t matter, we is both headed to the final destination which is dead.
How do you wanna live the next 50, 60, 70 years if you’re lucky? How do you wanna live those? What impact do you wanna have? What do you wanna leave behind and are you doing what you love? So the question for you guys today, after all of this. Remember, remember, remember, understanding the realization that you will die allows you to choose today how you’re gonna live till that end.
So here’s the question, what are you gonna pursue today? What are you going to pursue to this life? What is something that you have dust on that you need to shake off and relook at, revisit, maybe be re-impassioned about? Maybe it’s time, guys. Maybe it’s time.
This is Peter Saddington, the Bitcoin Lambo. If you enjoyed this episode, feel free to subscribe, like, and share with at least one person today that you think might benefit in this message. Thanks. Peace.