Steve Jobs, in his commencement speech at Stanford
University in 2005, said “Remembering
that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help
me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external
expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things
just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.
Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap
of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no
reason not to follow your heart. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living
someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the
results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions
drown out your own inner voice.”
I
try not to think about dying too much, but I must admit the idea of being an
old person in a nursing home motivates me to make the most of this life while I
am still relatively young. Just like Dennis Denuto said in The Castle “It’s the vibe of
the thing” and my vision is based on a vibe.
My vibe is described brilliantly by these words, “The work of decency
will be peace, and the effect of honesty will be quietness and trust. You will live in a peaceful neighbourhood, in
secure houses, and in quiet gardens. Those
who have well watered fields and gardens with farm animals grazing freely will
enjoy a fortunate life”.
Very
often my real life does not feel quiet or free or peaceful but I will continue to reach for my dream, because
as Robert Fritz said "If you limit your choices only to what seems
possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and
all that is left is a compromise."
So what does your dream life look like? Are you already living it? Are you working towards a vision set by the
expectations of others, doing things because you think it will make you
popular, please other people, make you rich, change the world or simply based
on all you have ever known?
Christopher
Reeve famously said “So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they
seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become
inevitable.” There is too much anxiety,
depression and poor physical and mental health in our world, there is too much
violence, injustice and debt, there is too much fear and worry and not enough
love and trust. We all need to dream, to
have a vision for our life, and whether we feel like the vision is huge or very
tiny; we owe it to ourselves, our family, our community and the entire world,
to live that dream. It will make the
world a better place. What do you think?
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