it takes real courage to live life fully because it means stepping into your own personal spotlight of uniqueness and standing out from the crowd. cheers to gabriella, thanks for the reminder.
True! It means choosing your life, and often leads far astray of the status quo.
Maybe there’s an insight here: people say they fear public speaking more than death. They don’t like to have the spot light on them, they are afraid of looking foolish or failing. Stepping out of the status quo sets us up to be in front of people and possibly fail.
There’s another parallel here too I think:
No one was ever fired for choosing Microsoft, as the saying goes. No one was ever ostracized for going to college and getting a “good” job. The implication, of course, being that if you choose the off brand (software, or life) that seems awesome, and something goes wrong… well, you have to take responsibility for the failure, instead of pinning it on some external factor. Terrifying.
I remember reading a quote by (I think) Elizabeth Kubler Ross where she says that it’s really our denial of our own mortality that stops us from fully living. We live pretending that we’ll live forever – and that when someone realizes that they are dying, and come to terms with their mortality, it takes away that fake security they had of being invincible.
We are born and we die, and the time between is but a single chord in life’s progression. Far too many of us grasp on to the single note, and we fall deaf to the symphony of life. Far too many of us do not seize the opportunities of the moment, fooling ourselves into believing the waters that sustain us will flow eternally. Pete, thank you for your message. The untimely passing of my wife Roberta, made me understand its import — unfortunately, too late. Indeed, daily we waste our ideas, our emotions, and our words on things trifling and irrelevant. Steeped in negative thoughts and restrained by petty fears. Without reference to the mortality that without warning sweeps us away. That being the one and only objective reality.
Hi,
It’s a bit late in the day to comment on this post, but I’ve just watch it and it had quite an impact on me. I was watching the last lecture by Randy Pausch beforehand, and together with this it was quite an experience. Anything that moves me to tears has got to have had a positive impact. Thanks for posting this, and also the one about Steve Jobs and your accident.
To teach you to scorch all fear, doubt, and pain from your mind. To embrace possibility, to express fully, to love completely. Throw yourself onto the fire.
it takes real courage to live life fully because it means stepping into your own personal spotlight of uniqueness and standing out from the crowd. cheers to gabriella, thanks for the reminder.
True! It means choosing your life, and often leads far astray of the status quo.
Maybe there’s an insight here: people say they fear public speaking more than death. They don’t like to have the spot light on them, they are afraid of looking foolish or failing. Stepping out of the status quo sets us up to be in front of people and possibly fail.
There’s another parallel here too I think:
No one was ever fired for choosing Microsoft, as the saying goes. No one was ever ostracized for going to college and getting a “good” job. The implication, of course, being that if you choose the off brand (software, or life) that seems awesome, and something goes wrong… well, you have to take responsibility for the failure, instead of pinning it on some external factor. Terrifying.
Hey Pete,
I remember reading a quote by (I think) Elizabeth Kubler Ross where she says that it’s really our denial of our own mortality that stops us from fully living. We live pretending that we’ll live forever – and that when someone realizes that they are dying, and come to terms with their mortality, it takes away that fake security they had of being invincible.
Great video.
.-= Sid Savara´s last blog ..7 Common Procrastination Excuses =-.
We are born and we die, and the time between is but a single chord in life’s progression. Far too many of us grasp on to the single note, and we fall deaf to the symphony of life. Far too many of us do not seize the opportunities of the moment, fooling ourselves into believing the waters that sustain us will flow eternally. Pete, thank you for your message. The untimely passing of my wife Roberta, made me understand its import — unfortunately, too late. Indeed, daily we waste our ideas, our emotions, and our words on things trifling and irrelevant. Steeped in negative thoughts and restrained by petty fears. Without reference to the mortality that without warning sweeps us away. That being the one and only objective reality.
Thank you. I didn’t watch the video but just the name of this post is very motivating, in a sad but passionate way.
Hi,
It’s a bit late in the day to comment on this post, but I’ve just watch it and it had quite an impact on me. I was watching the last lecture by Randy Pausch beforehand, and together with this it was quite an experience. Anything that moves me to tears has got to have had a positive impact. Thanks for posting this, and also the one about Steve Jobs and your accident.
I’m glad I could move you, you’re very welcome!