“Most people accept the life that has been handed to them. That’s why many people die at 25, but aren’t buried until they’re 95.” The eyes of my speaking mentor Les Brown sparkle as he says these words last Sunday in Los Angeles. A good reason to focus on the most important of all topics this week: because it’s a matter of life or death.
“Well, it’s not that bad, Norman,” you might be thinking right now. But to quote Les Brown once again: “Many couples die together instead of living together.” Are you really living a life that feels joyful, light, and fulfilling to you? Or are you stuck in an environment that weighs heavily on you? Whether it’s your relationship, your family, your friendships, or your colleagues—are you living together, or are you (emotionally) dying together? Is there growth in these relationships? Are you growing together? Can you freely express yourself as you’d like to? Are you supported? Or have you, over the years, adjusted just for the sake of peace and, as a result, die a little more inside every day?
This week, I would like to share with you a routine from Les Brown that he told us about. “When people call me, I ask myself these three questions with every conversation:
- Is it goal-oriented? Meaning, does the upcoming conversation move me further in the direction of my vision and my dream? Does this conversation bring me closer to what is important to me?
- Is it productive? Should I invest my time in this conversation? Is it about steps that will move me forward, or is it just rehashing past negative events that I cannot change anyway?
- Is it positive? Or is it just about the drama of neighbors, the world, or things that bring me down?
We probably all know the phrase “Time is money.” Les says, “That phrase is wrong. Time is not money. Time is life.” And I completely agree with him. Everything you do (or don’t do) costs you something—namely time. Your time. To be exact—your lifetime. Therefore, time = life. What do you think about handling your time more purposefully from now on? And in a way that you decide for yourself who or what truly deserves your lifetime. Because the worries and concerns of others are their worries and concerns. If you make them your own, they become your worries too. I don’t mean that you should never listen to or help someone in need. But we all know people who tell the same tiresome story every time and never change anything. In their view, other people should change to make things better for them. But unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. Only we can change ourselves and lead by example.
To quote the headline of the current theme cruise on the “Mein Schiff 2,” which we are currently enriching: “Time for me.” Take more time for yourself and your goals, dreams, and desires. Because the more responsibility you take for how you spend your (life)time, the happier you will be, and the more you will make out of the lifetime you have left.
Greetings from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, and I wish you a fantastic week.
