3 Ways to Live like a Dying Person Wishes They Had

Many people never take chances. They do not get out of their comfort zone and hence do not fulfill their full potential. Having worked in college admissions, the entertainment industry, public speaking and more, I consistently talk to people who do not have faith in their own success.

They express their limiting beliefs to me ranging from,  “I will not get the position,” to “I am not thoroughly qualified.” This shows me that the other person will most likely give up at the first sign of failure.

To these people I always say, “Someone has to be picked, so it might as well be you!”  What I mean by this is if you like a girl, she will be courted by someone, so it might as well be you. All colleges have to pick students to fill spaces, so it might as well be you. So many people do not even try certain activities because they think they will not make it.

Knowing that every job, school position, and more must be filled allows me to apply and know that they have to pick someone. There is no reason it should not be me. Always take risks, because otherwise, how will you know if you have fulfilled your full potential?

“Doubt can only be removed by action.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

As a future physician, I had many people criticize and question my desire to take time to explore other avenues before my graduate years, but what they do not know is the amount of thinking that went into this decision. I have seen many people, including multiple friends, family and mentors go straight into college, straight into higher education, or even straight into a job just to work. More often than not, most of them tell me they would go back and explore other areas life has to offer because one has their whole life to work, so why rush?

Take the time and explore things you have never thought about. Go out and travel. Try a new field you never considered, play music, skydive, or do anything that provides you with experiences.

Why not have some fun with life and always smile? As one of my mentors told me, “Do not chase the money, because making money is easy, it is the enjoyable part of making money that not many people achieve.” I loved what he said, because at the end of the day, many people chase the money and end up unhappy instead of taking risks and pushing to find out what truly makes their heart tick.

The ironic thing I learned while working in hospice care is that people seem not to learn. The same mistakes are committed over and over, and the majority of people have the same regrets at the end of their life. This experience led me to explore life differently and to challenge the normal perspective of what one should do in terms of not following the rules society sets out for us—truly exploring and absorbing all life has to give.

A few things I learned from people who are at the end of life are no different than what we always hear, but if we make a conscious decision to change our life, only then do we have a shot at not having the same regrets.

Time Will Pass

You can either be forty years old and be doing what you wanted to do when you were younger or give up on that dream and tell yourself it will not work. The majority of people I meet fall into the later perspective. It baffles me that the majority says something will take too long and hence they quit.

Imagine if Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, or Kobe Bryant would have quit. They knew they would reach the end of their lives and either have lived out their potential to reach their dream or quit.

“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” – Earl Nightingale

Make It Worthwhile

Have fun every day. Most people wake up and begin their day by feeding their mind negativity. They hit the snooze button, do not want to go to work, and begin the rat race. I have realized that I value experiences and people above all else.

Waking up and giving yourself a pep talk can motivate you for the day. In addition, if you find yourself unmotivated, force yourself to smile. I try and smile the majority of the day because when you smile, scientifically, you will become happier and feel more joy.

A smile not only affects you; your smile can also change someone’s day.

Do Not Be Another Regretful Person at the End of Life

When I walked across Spain on the Way of St. James pilgrimage, I realized something very important that I heard in the movie, “The Way.” One of the characters drops out of his PhD program and goes against all the norms of society. His father has been angry at him because he does not understand why his son would drop out and live more of a nomad lifestyle. The character tells his father “You don’t choose a life, you live one.”

Many people believe they must choose a life right after school or in their twenties. When one lives their life, they can discover many other wonderful characteristics about themselves and others along the way which can lead to a more fulfilled life.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did” – Mark Twain

Never give up on what you truly desire. Looking at the most financially successful people alive, the majority experienced dozens, if not hundreds, of setbacks prior to finding success. Take time to understand who you truly are. We are growing every day and when we stop paying attention to what we feel, we can find ourselves in a bitter situation.

Unfortunately, many people choose to be stuck in this situation and become comfortable while bitter because they are remaining stagnant in life. Choose to take risks, to apply to jobs that you do not fulfill all the qualifications, and to enjoy life through experiences.

At the end, we will all leave this world the way we came in, but when we have impacted other people through what we have done, we can leave a little behind.

What do you do everyday that helps you feel truly alive? Leave a comment below!

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