If you’ve grown up with the English language, you have likely heard (or even used) the expression “…well, live and learn!” This casual English idiom refers to learning from your personal experience, or—most commonly—your mistakes.
Today for a little fun I’d like to expand the simple phrase “live and learn” to encompass a broader concept found in an excellent quote by Mahatma Gandhi:
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
Read that again. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” What a brilliantly simple way to sum up an excellent life philosophy!
Two simple but brilliant rules to live by:
- Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Every single day carefully and intentionally choose your actions and consider your words as if you know you won’t have another chance to do those things, try again, or make amends.
- Learn as if you were to live forever. Every single day carefully and intentionally pay attention and learn from the people and world around you, seeking out opportunities to learn new things—from the simple and mundane to the intricate and fascinating—as if you have eternity to consider, practice, and leverage what you learn!
Just imagine! What would you do if you really felt like you couldn’t expect another day of life? How would you spend your time? What would you choose to say to those closest to you?
In the same way, what would you do if you really felt like you had an eternity to practice, leverage, and benefit from new knowledge and experiences? What would you seek out? What questions would you ask?
Instead of merely living your life and learning from your mistakes as the phrase “live and learn” implies, make the choice today to embrace the much deeper, more intentional “live and learn” philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi:
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
