Hey Reader,

Your greatest teacher of all time is something we all share in common.

Although it's good for us to contemplate, we'd usually rather avoid its teachings.

Because it can be uncomfortable, especially at first.

If you've avoided it for the majority of your life, it's easier to think that your life is better without facing it.

But weirdly enough (or not), it just might be the key to unlocking your potential and living a meaningful life.

That teacher’s name is...

Death.

When you're growing up, ignorance is bliss.

You don’t know what you don’t know until the ebb and flow of life shows you firsthand what Death looks like.

I used to think my father was invincible.

Even up to our last moments together – in his sixties – he was showing me up on the benchpress.

I remember feeling so damn proud about finally hitting two plates just to have my dad remind me who’s boss.

“Add another plate, son.”

He was always cockstrong.

Hell, I thought everyone in my life was invincible.

Especially my step-father, who survived two heart attacks and still made everyone around him laugh when the only thing keeping him alive was a defibrillator and monthly visits to the doctor.

He was made of steel and told lots of stories.

I think I have my knack for storytelling because of the impact he had on everyone who visited our ranch. He always had the back porch filled with laughter.

Everyone would come back again and again to have a seat in the rocking chair next to good ol’ Mr. Rick while he played Solitaire on repeat.

I can still hear him clicking that damn mouse over and over and over and over (I grew up in a two bed, one bath household, and my bedroom was on the other side of his desk).

I’ll never forget how many times my mom would say,

“Rick, tell them that one story about your days in the oil field… when one of your roughnecks cut his own hem–”

I’ll spare you the rest of that story because it’s dreadful, yet hilarious, and I’ll never give that story justice like my step-father did.

But no matter how hard we try to trick ourselves or shape our perspectives of other people, nothing is permanent.

So, you have two choices:

1. Face the inevitability of Life and Death, and experience the benefits.
2. Avoid it by distracting yourself, living in the past/future, and staying stuck like a dog chasing its own tail.

By the end of this letter, my goal is to show you how acknowledging Death is actually liberating, especially if you want to design a meaningful lifestyle.

​

The Benefits of Death Contemplation

For years and years after my experiences with loss, I still avoided the thought of Death.

Probably because I didn't like the memories and feelings it brought up, so I figured avoiding the thought of Death was healthier for my mind.

It wasn’t.

After 8 years, I’ve come to a different conclusion.

If it makes you feel uncomfortable to consider Death, that's the point. You'll never be able to create anything meaningful in your life if you don't get uncomfortable once in a while.

Would anything in your life hold meaning if you were invincible?

Would you appreciate the little things if you knew you’d be here forever?

Would you be able to find gratitude for today if you knew you’d always be able to experience it again tomorrow?

The easy thing to do is to get caught up in how someone treated you or how yesterday's conversation went or how you’ll be living your life a year from now.

We get distracted by the past and lured into the fantasies of our ideal future.

But tomorrow is never promised.

That's why you should always do your best to search for the beauty in today, especially in the midst of chaos.

Allow yourself to build a healthy relationship with Death – not one of fear – to help guide you in the direction you desire. It will take revisiting, but the main person who benefits is you.

Death is your greatest teacher not because it reminds you that you will die; it’s your greatest teacher because it reminds you to live your life fully.

If you're a sneaker head and your best friend tells you that Nike only made 100 pairs of their new shoe line, that sense of scarcity will urge you to take action.

To not waste time.

The same applies with Life and Death.

When something as scarce as your time on earth hits you with a reality check, suddenly you don't take any bullshit from your ego anymore.

You learn to spend your time wisely.

You learn to stop taking things for granted.

You learn how much potential you have to create anything you want.

I see lots of people struggling to figure out what's important in their life. And if that's you, I have a few exercises that can help.

​

Press Pause

If this letter has you on the fence, that is the point. When I was afraid of the thought of Death, I seeked comfort. I seeked what was familiar.

But if you want to change your life for the better, you have to do the opposite.

So do me a favor.

Put your phone or computer down, close your eyes, and literally take a deep breath. After inhaling, count to ten as you release the air from your lungs.

Then, open your eyes, come back, and continue.

…

The reason why deep breaths help so much is they give you the opportunity to be present.

A moment to decide whether to dwell or to accept the moment for what it is.

The second option has always played out better in my case, and I think it will for you too.

I understand contemplating death isn’t very sexy, but doing so with an open mind just might change your life.

Yes – a bold claim that I won’t take for granted.

I say this confidently because being present has truly changed my life.

When you're taking life for granted, it's difficult to be present. And a fallacy we all have at one point or another is that overthinking will solve the problem.

Unless you have a new, unknown remedy, overthinking will never solve your problem.

Living in anticipation your entire life is a dreadful way to live.

Constantly yearning for the next meeting, the next opportunity, the next exciting event with your friends or family...

But the beauty of life doesn’t come from anticipation.

It comes from a deep presence of mind.

Presence is your best present.

Any time I feel my emotions spinning, I do exactly what I told you to do.

Take a deep breath and count to ten.

What this does is remind me to step outside of my own matrix.

Your ego will try to force you to get wrapped up in unnecessary things. Rightfully so, because it’s trying to protect you and it's in our nature to focus on survival.

But in many cases, you don’t need your ego’s protection.

Unless your life is at risk – your physical safety is being threatened by someone or something – you simply need to make the decision to breathe and be present.

Yes, it’s a decision. And a muscle that grows overtime.

But give yourself the blessing to be present, because life will always go on no matter what.

That’s the beauty of Death.

You realize that we’re just small ants on a big, blue rock floating in the infinite ether of the universe.

You only have one go at this thing called life.

Might as well enjoy every aspect of it – the good, the bad, the ugly – because that’s what defines it.

You appreciate cold because of the heat.

You appreciate light because of the darkness.

You appreciate peace of mind because of chaos.

Everything that's happened in your life is a result of Mother Nature working at her finest.

Think of it as a sailboat.

Life is like the weather. Sometimes, the wind is strong. And sometimes, the wind is barely there.

A sailor can either resist the ebb and flow of the wind or decide to work with the wind.

Whichever decision he makes dictates the success of his voyage.

In other words, you can either choose to appreciate your life or live it out in misery. A decision worth making now.

​

Designing Your Dream Life

Hopefully, by now, I’ve got your attention with the precious beauty of life.

How do you want to live yours?

I recently discovered a concept called the “Rocking Chair Effect.”

Basically, you imagine the 80-year-old version of yourself that can’t move like you used to, and doesn’t have the time or energy to do things that your younger self could.

Literally put yourself in that rocking chair, wrinkles and all.

Then, reflect on your life today based on what would make that rocking chair version of yourself proud.

It's inevitable that we will reach that rocking chair version of ourselves (if we're lucky).

We won’t always be able to use our minds the way we can today.

We won’t always be able to move our limbs the way we can today.

So what decisions can you make right now that will increase your quality of life later?

Don’t get wrapped up in negativity or self-doubt or what people might think.

It's a waste of time and energy because it simply doesn't serve you.

Again, you’re a small spick on a giant, rotating planet.

Life will always move on, with or without the evil voices in your mind.

Yes, acknowledge your emotions and treat them accordingly. But do not dwell simply because it’s not healthy for you or the rocking chair version of yourself.

​

Take A Hard Look In The Mirror

Now, I want you to do a self-audit by taking a hard look in the mirror. You can’t design a meaningful tomorrow without understanding where you are today.

• Does your current profession bring you fulfillment?
• What are you currently building in your life?
• How are you spending your free time?
• Who are you creating memories with?

Then, start small by asking yourself what's one thing you could do differently next week.

Your 80-year-old self will be so thankful you decided to take action now while your limbs work.

If facing Death were easy, everyone would do it.

But to stand out and build something unique during your life, set aside time to reflect on your current state. Make sure that the monkey mind isn't steering your boat called Life.

Approach this exercise with a new lens – one that is well aware how precious life is – and ask yourself what actually holds meaning in your life.

Is it your current daily routine? Why or why not?

Is it your current relationships? Why or why not?

Is it your current profession or hobbies? Why or why not?

When you answer these questions mindfully, you take a strong step toward a life you’re obsessed with.

Get comfortable with being uncomfortable and fall in love with delayed gratification. On the other side of discomfort lies a life of meaning and fulfillment.

Better to eat the frog now and enjoy the fruits of your labor later, so you can rock back and forth on that rocking chair with gratitude.

If you live your life fully, you will not fear death, because you know deep down that you’ve experienced your life.

Not wasted it.

​

Cheers,

A

P.S. Here’s your path to a meaningful life.​