Limitless Monday – Live As If It Is Your Last Day

Limitless Monday – Live as if it is your last day

A few days ago I read a highly recommended article by a Silicon Valley icon, Paul Graham. The article is called Life is Short. It’s a succinct piece with one key takeaway from my point of view: cut out the bullshit in your life.

We clutter our lives with heaps of BS. From hours spent checking our social media feeds, to idle, meandering chit chat with our friends and family to watching hours of mindless TV.

If today was your final day on earth, what would you do differently compared to your average day? I can tell you one thing you wouldn’t do: you wouldn’t waste time watching cat videos. I would also bet you wouldn’t decide to sit in a bar drinking until you fell off your stool. My bet would be that you would opt to spend your last day performing meaningful activities. You would probably relegate your chores to the less meaningful category along with watching TV and cleaning your home.

If it was my last day I wouldn’t be doing a workout in the gym although I would probably start my day with a Jiu-Jitsu class. There is nothing better than getting the competitive juices flowing. I wouldn’t be interested in the technique of the day, however, just smashing anyone who was foolish enough to challenge me on my last day in the dojo.

After a quick shower I would then visit the most precious people in my world. My children, parents, partner, and one or two close friends. After some alone time with each of them I would suggest one final lunch with all of them. Price is no object. It’s all about eating my favorite meal with my favorite people. The lunch may well merge with dinner although I would like to remain relatively sober so I could savor every moment.

Now in reality we can’t spend every day like this. We do unfortunately have obligations, chores need to get done, exercise must be performed, and work has to be carried out. However, what this kind of thinking demonstrates is what is important to us.

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When I was at the lowest point in my life the one thing that occupied my mind above all else was the welfare of my children. I didn’t care about myself. I certainly didn’t give a second thought to the millions of dollars that had just gone up in smoke, metaphorically speaking. When the shit hits the fan it’s a powerful test of what is truly important in your life. If you are not giving a second thought to your romantic partner, it’s a sign you chose the wrong one. That’s something you can remedy very quickly.

I try hard not to spend hours trawling social media. I can still do better. I often neglect chores, but I’m making an effort to change. My girlfriend’s first visit to my home and her horror at the mess was a wake-up call.

There is always a balance to be had. If you decide to neglect all your household chores in favor of watching TikTok videos, this would not be a sensible choice. However, to neglect your chores in favor of going to the gym or working on your new business idea would be a more productive decision.

The bottom line: cut out the BS in your life. Everything you do should pass a productivity and priority test. When allocating time to any task or event, it must either be a true priority or contribute productively toward a defined goal.

Happy Monday!

Banner Image:  Purple coneflowers. Image Credit – Land O’Lakes, Inc.