“None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an afterthought. Eat the delicious food. Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean. Say the truth that you’re carrying in your heart like hidden treasure. Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. There’s no time for anything else.”
– Commonly attributed to Richard Gere
I came across this quote recently and it stuck out to me in a way that made me read it a few times over again. It’s true that, while we may not know when we are “getting out,” none of us will be “getting out” alive.
Our time will eventually come and we will leave with nothing of this world. This isn’t meant to be pessimistic, but more to help us realize the opportunities around us right now. Opportunities we may be letting slip past. Maybe my current age made this quote have a deeper impact, or maybe my age has just allowed me to see the wisdom in it. Probably a bit of both.
In this column each week, I try to give tips that will help you become more successful in life—personally, professionally, and organizationally. But if there is one tip I can leave with you today, it is to never let your pursuit of success dominate your life exclusively.
4 Ways to Treasure Your Time
- Work hard, but not so hard that you forget about family and friends. Make sure your time is spent where it matters most. Don’t wait till you retire to finally build those relationships!
- Build and network within your organization, but don’t get so caught up in networking that you forget the people. Value people not for their usefulness, but for who they are as people.
- Exercise often and eat well, but don’t be so demanding of yourself that you never indulge. If you miss a day at the gym or indulge in a second chocolate brownie, I can assure you it won’t be the end of the world.
- Focus on achieving your goals, but also focus on other people. Continually look for opportunities to be kind to a stranger, make a friend or co-worker laugh, and brighten someone else’s day.
There are so many opportunities we let slip by. We take time for granted and assume there is always another day. None of us is guaranteed tomorrow, so I encourage you to get out there and live life to the fullest. As so well put in the quote above, “there’s no time for anything else!”
