How To Create The Urgency To Live Your Dreams
No one has ever said, "man, I'm really glad I played it safe."
No one has ever said, "dang, I'm so happy with my decision to avoid risks."
No one has ever said, "I don't regret working my whole life on someone else’s project.”
So, assuming all goes well and you live a full-length life, what will you say at the end?
Some of you already know about my Death Bed Timer.
If you’re not familiar with how this works, you can check out the page on my website:
chrisdanilo.com/timer
Here’s the quick version:
I have done a quick and dirty estimate of how much time I think I’ve got left to live.
The idea wasn’t to calculate some super accurate timeline, the idea was to have a number that looked possible and watch it tick away every day.
By bringing this Death Bed Timer into my life, I’ve forced myself to look at the reality of my temporary existence.
It’s created urgency, which is something that motivates people to take action.
I urge you to make your own estimate and look your Death Bed Timer right in the face.
It will help you reprioritize things in your life.
Yes, admittedly, it’s a little stressful—but looking at this clock on a regular basis will push you from your comfort zone until you’re comfortable with being uncomfortable.
2 Minute Action
Do a quick estimate. How long do people like you usually live?
How long have you already lived?
Subtract.
Divide by months, weeks, or days to get the readout you want.
This 2 minutes could absolutely change your life.
The Unpopular Beliefs That Make People Tick
"You're anxious, stop telling me to worry so much.""You don't know what other people want, so don't tell me what to do.""Your writing is too basic, why are you dumbing it down?"
I've gotten criticism for a few unpopular beliefs, like my death bed timer, the idea that you absolutely should get rich, and the fact that I write at a 7th-grade reading level.That's fine.Let me explain why I hold firm in these beliefs.
My Writing Style
I've written and edited academic publications in Developmental Neuroscience and the Decision-Theory literature.I don't use that kind of language here for good reason--only a few people can read it.The average reading level in the USA is a 7th-grade reading level, and I want to reach more people.Not everyone, just more than the people who already know the value of what I'm sharing.The point is to get to the point. We've all got things to do and places to be.Few people want to read some huge wall of text.Most people just want a useful, digestible, actionable nugget every day.
On Getting Rich
I think you should get rich and then spend that money helping people live healthier, happier, more productive lives.In the amount of time people try to make everything perfect and in the perfect way, they could have had a profitable product by now.Apple didn't start by making computers that were deconstructable and recyclable. Patagonia didn't start by making pullovers from only organic trees. There are many examples of this in the world.You start by making a minimally viable product, getting the cash you need to survive and THEN you figure out how to make things even better.Speed to market and profitability will decide how you survive.If your idea/project/business dies or dries up, you can't help anyone.
The Death Bed Timer
I have estimated how much time I have left to live.Of course, it's not accurate because no one can ever know this exact number--but that's not the point.The point is to have an estimate.The point is to look at a number that decreases and understand the reality of my shrinking mortality.Two of the most common regrets of dying people are:
- Not having lived the life they wanted
- Having worked too much
If you're serious about avoiding regret and living a life of purpose and deliberation, you'll do what it takes.Watching my Death Bed Timer countdown is my way of reminding myself to stay the course, make every second count, and keep improving.
2 Minute Action
I want you to take 2 minutes to question yourself right now.Unpopular beliefs are a good way to challenge others and get to the bottom of the truth.They're also helpful because challenging others can help them solidify their point of view.What are some unpopular beliefs you have?I'd love to hear what yours are, so comment or reply and let me know.Just identifying them, or saying them out loud can help you think about how to build a lifestyle or habit around them.
Whatever You're Doing Right Now, You're Paying For It With Your Life
No one knows how much time they have left, but most people want to do something important.Where's the urgency?I have an estimated count of how much time I've got left. I call it my "Death Bed Timer."It's a little scary, and that's the point.I look at this quickly shrinking number on a regular basis for 2 reasons:
- To desensitize myself to my fear of dying.
- To motivate myself with the urgency of impermanence.
Whatever you're doing right now, you are spending your life on it.Maybe it's just temporary right now, but maybe it's a habit.Whatever it is, you will NOT get that time back.Think like this and live a life of purpose.We all need your help out here.Let's do this.
2 Minute Action
What's your most important task today?Work on it right now for 2 minutes. Set a timer. No excuses.If you can read this for 2 minutes, you can spend the next two minutes on this.Everyone has 2 minutes.Start now.