Starz and BBC are running a TV series through the summer that is based on the notion that none of us die (Torchwood: Miracle Day). Life goes on and on. We are all rich in the most valuable and precious resource of all – time.
Stephen Cave, is the author of a forthcoming book Immortality: The Quest to Live Forever and How it Drives Civilization. He points out that the death-defying scenario would likely result in action losing purpose and time losing value. In this sense he concludes that immortality would be awful and we “should toast our finitude.”
This ties into my previous blog about having a sense of urgency for taking action on things that move us forward. That is, let’s not look back when we’re 90 and regret what we didn’t do.
I also want to emphasize that personal and professional growth and development also includes taking action to stop saying and doing things that impede our progress. As an example, this week I’ve moved the ball forward in some ways and also given up yardage. I invested in celebrating with friends, went out of my way on my bike ride to stop at a roadside lemonade stand, and put some money into a parking kiosk for a stranger who had no cash in hand. I also acted petulant when some trivial thing didn’t work out and employed poorly timed humor at my wife’s expense.
Character Move: In the end Living in the Triangle is about saying and doing more of the better things more of the time. Over time and with conscientious attention each of us can improve our record so that our iterative development is truly moving forward:
- Spend time determining what inhibitors you will stop doing and what you will do less of, and write them down.
- Commit to learning What and How* you can either stop doing them, or do them less often.
None of us has found an elixir of immortality. Our life is defined daily by our words and action. Start fresh each day. Today do less of one thing that diminishes yourself or others.
One Less Thing in the Triangle,
Lorne
* What and How is referenced in the ground-breaking work of John G. Miller in QBQ! The Questions Behind the Question.