LIVE EACH DAY AS THE LAST DAY

“Live everyday as if it were your last; because some day you’re gonna be right.”

         These exquisitely prescient words of wisdom were spoken by Muhammad 

Ali, the American professional boxer, activist and philanthropist who is universally regarded among the most celebrated and significant sports figures of the 20^th 

century. But this advice is not essentially unique to him alone, for it has been repeated, in one form or another, on countless occasions before and after him.

 Marcus Aurelius, the ancient Roman stoic philosopher and Emperor noted:

           “Live not one's life as though one had a thousand years.

            But live each day as the last."

While the Holy Bible in James 14:4 elaborated even further:

“Whereas you know not what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

Undeniably, the striking impact of these messages and the intentions contained 
in the statements cannot ever be understated, nor can they be ignored.

         Quite recently, I had the distinct pleasure to entertain a longstanding 
friend and a person for whom I have the highest regard and respect for his
 genuine sincerity and faith in God and in man, Roman Catholic Archbishop 
Robert Rivas of the diocese of Castries, West Indies. During our wide-ranging discussions, he made the following very profoundly true statement:

“The only difference between living and dying is a single breath.”

This statement immediately struck me as a powerful reminder of the singular 

need to unequivocally accept the words of Muhammad Ali, and those of the 
others, and equally, it confirms the reason for each person to fashion a life
 that truly reflects the fact that one day it will end, and after this, nothing
 else can help.

         In 2005, Steve Jobs, one of the greatest entrepreneurial visionaries of our times, the founder and CEO of Apple Computers and Pixar Animation Studios, delivered a commencement address to the graduating class of Stanford University. The advice he offered in this very short presentation was so profound that it will be listened to over and over for many years to come by countless succeeding graduating classes and equally, countless numbers of other people in all walks of life. I have no doubt also, that many will continue to derive great benefit his words of wisdom. At the time he delivered the address, he was aware of his own diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer, a universally fatal disease, and that his own life span was seriously compromised. In a surprisingly far ranging address he made the following admission:

 “When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like this: -‘If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.'- It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am doing today? –And whenever the answer has been ‘NO’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.” 

       This advice is unquestionably one of the soundest that can ever be given to anyone truly interested in living a full and complete life. One which chooses to reward the individual for effort and commitment for trying to cope with his overflowing dreams, hopes and ambitions, that of necessity, must include making plans for, and facing, eventual mortality. The fact that at the time of delivery of his address, Jobs was already facing his own imminent death, will surely speak volumes to anyone truly interested in living the true life. He concluded by making a statement that will apply to every person who truly wished to live a full and satisfying life:

“Never let a day pass that you will have cause to say:
 -I will do better tomorrow.”

Unfortunately, we live in a culture that denies the reality of death, and one where any discussion of death is taboo and one which no one is encouraged to think or talk about. Society as a whole gives it no important consideration except to be ignored until the time comes. People in general, are determined to live their lives to the fullest extent for as long as they can, and are not concerned with dying until it arrives. The late James Dean, the young, very talented American actor who created a sensation as a character actor for the few years before his untimely death in 1953 at the age of 24 years, viewed life very much in this light. His views are reflected in his celebrated quotation:

“Dream as if you’ll live forever.

Live as if you’ll die tomorrow.”

To him, life was a challenge handed to him to do as he pleased, to chase his dreams as far as he wanted, and to relish his successes for as long as he can. Such people accepted the fact that their life was limited without fear or sadness, but rather with unconditional hope and celebration. It was this fundamental attitude which gave them the urgency and purpose to enjoy the best of their lives, to set no limits to their dreams, to squeeze every drop of life as they can, and to live as much as possible, with the unequivocal conviction that whatever happened after, was beyond their control and therefore, of no concern to them!

         They think only of what can be achieved today and do not waste their time predicting the future or worrying about missing out of any of the intangible promises waiting for them. They know that no one has any control of what happens in the future, and to worry was merely wasting useful time and effort. To them, the present offers the best opportunity to find fulfillment, to satisfy their dreams and to find happiness. They know from past experience that they could not truly depend on the future for it may not be what they hoped for, or if it will even be present when the time comes. This concept was very beautifully described by the well respected American author and poet, Muriel Strode when she wrote:

“I do not ask for faith in the hereafter, but let me believe in today,

 and no hereafter can present that I shall not be well prepared.”

         But contrary to the view of many detractors who tend to place a literal interpretation to Jobs advice and see it as a ‘reckless philosophy’ that encouraged people to behave as if there is no tomorrow and grab as much as they can without regard to need or impact, in fact, he meant the very opposite. Living each day as if it were the last offers support to those in need of confidence to override their fears and uncertainties of life, to live a life of their own choosing and to challenge the prevailing attitudes. The true intention is not just to do as much as can be done, but rather, since no one knows when his last day will be, then the aim is to spend each day to the fullest doing the things that actually matter, and not be concerned about what others do or think. As it turned out, while living by this principle, Jobs developed several amazing companies during his relatively short life span and he did so by doing what he enjoyed doing, quite often against other people’s objections, in the spirit of the quotation.

            For my own self, I accept this advice personally as an invitation to do those things that I truly hoped and dreamed of doing, and as I prepare for the inevitable, I will try to live each day to the fullest I can as if it were my last day. 

-Indeed, a good life is not about encouraging people to work harder and acquire more, but rather to encourage them to seek out what they love to do the most, and to give their best each day, as if this day was going to be the last.

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POWER OF ACTION

 “Action is the foundational key to all success.”

         These words by the great Spanish artist Pablo Picasso whose works of art are considered to be the most important works of the 20^th century, standout out as a statement that is blatantly appropriate and unchallenged. He believed firmly and correctly, that the only way to achieve your dreams, however difficult it may be, was on a plan built solidly on a foundation of action, and supported with courage and commitment to carry through to completion.

         Behavioral experts are fond of categorizing people as being made up essentially of 3 different types. There are those who make things happen, there are others who are content to watch things as they happen, and then there are those are not concerned about what is happening. This would explain why, except for the first group, there are so many people with beautiful ideas, dreams and passions which never ever see the light of day. Quite often this happens not because of any genuine problems which prevent their completion, but rather from such basic emotional obstacles as fear of failure, fear of venturing into unknown territory, and at times, even the fundamental fear of getting started. These fears serve to induce resistance and force the individual to be locked in a cycle of inaction, not so much because of being unable to complete the task, but much more, because of a lingering fear of inadequacy or embarrassment that their work will not be acceptable to others.

For as long as man has survived on this planet, developing new thoughts and ideas have always been the seeds of all great human accomplishments. But equally, a great many of these seeds remained just thoughts and ideas and never grew to fruition because there was no one capable of exercising the will to initiate, and the action to complete them. Nothing ever happens without a start taking place, but once the start has begun, magical results can accrue but only when intent is present. It is this combination of the will to start and the determination to continue that becomes the force for action that will invariably yield great success. But all of this activity will only flow when it is nurtured by an individual who has belief in himself, trust in his ability and confidence to keep moving forward, irrespective of resistance. These are the foundational keys which when acting together, will serve to successfully bring dreams to life. Steve Jobs one of the greatest visionaries in modern times, whose work over a very short span of active life has changed the course and direction of human living forever, was forthright in his advice to graduating students when he said:

“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown your inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”

Far too often, beautiful dreams appear, some even accompanied with faith and desire, only to falter because they lacked the necessary conviction and action to carry through to completion. Tragically this applies to a significant number of people who, even with the best of intentions, are never able to reach their full potential and have to be content to live out their lives in mediocrity, while envying the joyful successes of their neighbors. Most of the time the main reasons that separate success from failure are not due to lack of ability, but rather to either the lack of a realistic dream worthy of following, or alternatively, having the dream but never able to take the action necessary to bring it to completion. This has resulted in the development of ever increasing numbers people who spend their lives just dreaming and hoping, but never finding the courage or the power to move beyond this stage.

Other people on the other hand, choose to spend their whole lives in “safe waters” doing things they hate, but are comfortable doing, or living in simple, nonthreatening lifestyles, but always yearning for more, and looking at better things, but being afraid to grasp them. These people are driven to lead this type of life, not so much because of lack of ability or even lack of hoping, but rather because of their deeply embedded inability to find the way to turn these hopes into dreams and goals, and their lack of conviction to take the necessary action needed to reach their fulfillment. Indeed this is precisely what Eleanor Roosevelt the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and in her own right, a respected intellectual, diplomat and activist, was alluding to, when she observed:

      “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of

        their dreams”

Action is always positive and when this is not happening, the only reason for this can be traced directly to the individual in control. This should not come as any surprise since people by nature generally prefer to choose the easiest actions, or the paths of least resistance to satisfy their needs. The less effort needed, and the less utilization of resources, both emotional and physical, to achieve the desired goal, the better and more preferable it will be. This “efficiency” of activity has its origins in the early centuries of man’s survival in the life-threatening and inhospitable environments that existed at the time. This forced him to choose action to stay safe, and his sole aim was finding food and staying alive. The dream might well have been present but there was no time to consider or attempt anything else, especially if the action needed varied from the established safe patterns. Clearly no action can ever hope to succeed without it beginning with the heart and mind of the dreamer. As Thomas Jefferson, one of America’s greatest statesmen, Founding Father and 3^rd President of the Union, so very wisely advised:

“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act!

Action will delineate and define you.”

           It required many more centuries and many attempts at smaller actions with increasing successes and encouragements, before man began to expand his hopes and his dreams and then find the courage to convert them to long term goals. This approach has continued to evolve over time with more and more results occurring. But the principle has not changed. It takes time for a person to acquire the skills needed. He is never able to harness the power needed at first try, but he must first begin by understanding the power of taking small actions successfully, and be able to repeat the experience more frequently, before he is able to consider long term dreams, set major goals and find the power to arrive at completion. Leonardo da Vinci, the great Italian sculptor and artist, explained this evolution in these terms:

“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing.

Just knowing is not enough, we must apply.

Being willing is not enough, we must do.”

Action when successfully carried out is not only rewarding to the individual, but it serves to induce physiological and psychological changes which will embolden him and encourage further attempts. There is no doubt that each successful episode will provide the strength, the courage and the energy to try more and to succeed more. Rewards are the backbone of all successful individuals and the impetus for continuing on. But individual successes do not in anyway imply that these people are differently endowed with special abilities than the others. But rather, they are better motivated, more willing to accept failure and try again, over and over, and will continue to do so until the results are achieved. They are not content to sit back and let things happen, but recognize that the dream will happen only after the right action is undertaken. But all of this does not come easy; there is a price to pay. It requires time, consistent focus, firm dedication, undeniable commitment and deep confidence in self and in ability, to find the courage and the willpower to continue on, sometimes against daunting odds.

         People who do not choose to take the necessary action to fulfill their dreams do so, not out of ignorance or inability, but rather from reluctance, born from a multitude of various fears and insecurities. These take the form of a vast range of underlying etiologies that include personality characteristics, parental influences and past experiences. But over-riding all these causes is the missing taste of success. Without this experience acting as an impetus there can be little hope to find the energy to act. Paradoxically the only true antidote to overcome inaction is action itself. Fear of inaction for whatever reason, induces lower self-esteem, increases doubt in ability, and increases fear of failure. But with action comes success and experience which will increase the self-esteem and reduce the fear and ignorance and ultimately lead to growth, maturity and self-confidence. These are all the critical foundational keys that will open the doors to action. Without them being opened, action will not take place and life remains dormant. Joseph DiMaggio, one of America’s greatest baseball players and a person who himself has successfully overcome a countless number of challenges in his lifetime, spoke from personal experience when he noted:

“If you keep thinking about what you want to do, or what you hope will happen, you don’t do it and it won’t happen.”

-Picasso's message indeed is the true message of every successful individual who has tasted the fruit of success. Not only must there be a dream and a hope, but there must be a need and a desire to achieve, and the willingness to act in whatever necessary way to find the power to completion.

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