This past month we had to change the time on our clocks because of Daylight Savings Time. We lost an hour of our day and an hour of sleep. It got me reflecting on time and how we spend it.
The founder and former chief evangelical officer of Apple, Steve Jobs, was obsessed about his work. He worked tirelessly on creating Apple into one of the most successful companies of all-time. However, his life was profoundly changed after he was diagnosed with cancer.
Two years after his diagnosis, Jobs gave a commencement speech at Stanford University that is often considered one of the greatest graduation speeches of all time. During that speech, he didn’t talk about his obsession with work or his latest Apple innovation. He talked about the life-changing message of death and how it impacted how he spent his time. We would be wise to learn from him. Jobs said:
“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.
“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
“Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.
“Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
“And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
Jobs’s cancer diagnosis was indeed a wake-up call. But only six years later, he died at the young age of 56. The most powerful, wealthiest, and influential man on the planet. He could have almost anything he wanted. He controlled an empire but didn’t have ultimate control over what was most important – his life.
The most important decision in life is how we spend our time. What do we with the limited time we are here on earth? Death is why we don’t want to waste time. We must know that we are going to die. It’s guaranteed. You only have so much time. It reminds us to make the big choices in life. To focus on our health, loving others, and serving in our work and community. And it gives us the courage to follow your own heart and realize our unique potential. Are you spending your time to become fully human and to give your talents away in love and service to others? Now is the time to start. There’s no time to waste.