"People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again... (see below)."

—Bronnie Ware, The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying

This month, my business turned 6 years old! Technically, it’s 18 years old but it’s been 6 years full time. ;)

As many of you know, what led me to shift into my business full-time was the untimely death of one of my friends, Jen. I knew the dreams she held inside and the experiences she wanted to live - like another trip to Hawaii, taking her daughter to Disney World, many more Tough Mudder races to run, and starting her own business.

Sadly, she didn’t get those experiences.

Immediately, when I went full-time, my natural mission statement was something that popped into my head and it’s been on repeat ever since:

“My job is to help people create the life they want most before it’s too late.”

The reality of death is not fun to consider, but we all have that prognosis. When we are in touch with that realness, it can start to inspire us to design a life we really want to live now - before it’s too late.

A book by Bronnie Ware opened up a portal for me in seeing the very specific - and very SIMPLE - things that people regret on their deathbeds.

In this summary from her website, the Top 5 Regrets of the Dying are:

Regret #1: I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

Regret #2: I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.

Regret #3: I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

Regret #4: I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Regret #5: I wish that I had let myself be happier.

What if You Lived Like You Had a Terminal Diagnosis?

This week I had an amazing call with a woman who reached all the success she ever thought possible. Within a couple of years, pretty much every dream she had came true. She traveled to multiple new countries on luxury vacations, became a partner at her firm, started making more money than she ever imagined, got married, had a beautiful baby girl, and more.

Now, she’s faced with having everything she’s wanted and wondering why she’s working so hard - still. She described her days as feeling like a robot that’s executing tasks but doesn’t feel the goodness of enjoying what she’s created.

I asked her:
“What would happen if you got a call from your doctor today with a critical diagnosis. You had hopefully a few years left to live. Would that change the way you relate to your life, work, family - and yourself?”

Her shoulders dropped. I could see relaxation oozing over her.

She replied:
“Yes. That would clarify how I would want to be - and feel - in my life. It would get me out of being a robot and fully into living the life I want to FEEL.”

She left the session with an understanding that she could instantly change the relationship she had with her work and life. She got clear on what she values and wants to prioritize. She felt hope for the first time in a long time.

Life is so good when we slow down and actually live the life we want most.

What’s the life you want to live before it’s too late?

Did reading that list of regrets hit you like a ton of bricks? If so, which one(s) hit hardest?

What are the things you want to experience on a daily basis that would make your existence feel oh-so-good?

What are the things you would regret not doing at the end of your life?

The good news is that you can start living that way today - right now. No need to wait. We will each be one day closer to The End when we go to sleep tonight. How will you let that sit with you today?