Great quote from Steve Jobs

I read a great quote from Steve Jobs today. 

Here it is:

"When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: 'If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.' It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?'"

Pretty powerful question, wouldn't you say?

I will be turning 75 in several weeks. 

It's a bit shocking to realize that. Asking, "Where did the time go?" seems appropriate if a bit pointless. 

I am a great fan of making lists, as you might know. One of the lists I suggest people make for themselves in my book, "Mind, Time and Power!" is this question:

"What would I do if I only had one year to live?"

When I was writing that book, more than 40 years ago now, being 75 was just a concept. Not one I was too concerned with. 

I recently wrote an article called, "My Friend Warren". It was about a good friend of mine who recently died of lung cancer. 

I quit smoking in 1975, when Warren and I were working together on the Vancouver waterfront. 

 

For a while, like some ex-smokers, I became a bit of a vocal advocate for quitting smoking. I remember Warren saying to me, "Well, we all have to die sometime." as though that were justification for continuing to smoke. 

When the doctors discovered his cancer, they gave him a few months to live. He died five months later. The last time I saw him two years ago he was still smoking. I had been smoke free for 45 years. 

These days, this list of "What would I do if I only had one year to live?" seems quite poignant.

At my current age, I can almost sense the grim reaper trudging his way through the town looking for my street. 

I'm not trying to be morbid. Just saying.... some questions sharpen the mind. 

.............................

Anthony Hamilton is the author of, "Mind, Time and Power!"