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:

1. Not having lived the life they wanted
2. 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:

1. To desensitize myself to my fear of dying.
2. 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.

Why Your Life Doesn't Look Successful

I recently noticed that many of my friends and family are making more money than me, taking vacations to exotic places, having babies, buying houses, and starting families.

 

I'm 29 and most of my Facebook Newsfeed is 3 things:

 

• People getting married

• People having a baby

• People getting a dog

 

After a few years of watching the social media filtered highlights of their lives, I've realized the big reason my life and career doesn't look the same.

 

I don't want the same things they want.

 

I want, so desperately, to live a meaningful life.

 

I call this the Death Bed Principle.

 

The idea is simple. What kind of life will I look back on from my death bed? What will I need to do to feel like I spent my time and energy in worthwhile, useful way?

 

My goal is to avoid the most common regrets dying folks have:

 

"I wish I had lived my own life instead of the life others' prescribed," and "I wish I hadn't worked so much."

 

Please read Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware for more context and depth into her striking discoveries.

 

One of the ways I've started implementing the Death Bed Principle into my life is by counting the estimated weeks I've got left.

 

Take the average lifespan for a person my sex and nationality (roughly 80 years), convert that into weeks, subtract the number of weeks I've had, and voila.

 

As of today, I've got a little over 2,000 weeks left.

 

Looking death square in the face is scary, but I don't want to be scared of dying. I want to be at peace with my life and how I spent my time.

 

If I look back at my journey and all I see is 40 hours a week spent at a job I didn't really love, working for a cause that didn't really help the world, I'll be full of regret.

 

If I look back and I see my entire life lived in self-indulgence, knowing I could have done more to help others, I'll be full of regret.

 

If I look back and I see my hard work to make the world a better place, regardless of the challenges I overcame and the failures I had, I'll be proud of my journey and I'll leave a legacy of courage and honor for my family.

 

Success will look very different for you than it will for others who can only see the next vacation they're planning.

 

If you're working hard just so you don't have to work anymore, you're at extreme risk for regret.

 

2 MINUTE ACTION

 

Take 2 minutes to calculate how much time you've got left.

 

Use the Death Bed Principle to write down a list of what a successful life would look like from your last week.

 

Write down what the Facebook Newsfeed of a "successful" person might look like.

 

Defining success will massively increase your odds of getting there.

 

If you're looking to join others who share your definition of success, take this 2 minutes to join the Relentless Community on Facebook and share your values and ideals.

 

We're all on team human. Sometimes it helps to be reminded of that by like-minded, motivated souls.