Thoughts on the Shortness of Life
By Obi Okorougo with quotes by Seneca
** The words written in italics belong to the stoic Philosopher Seneca, and are copied from his brilliant essay On the Shortness of Life. The rest are words that I’ve written to myself. I share them only because these same questions that I reflect upon may also be good questions for you to consider. **
. . .
Life is long enough, and it has been given in sufficiently generous measure to allow the accomplishment of the very greatest things if the whole of it is well invested.
Look back upon your Life and ask whether your time has been properly invested. Are your accomplishments proportionate to your years? And I don’t speak only of the public achievements, but of your personal goals. Do you think as you’d like? Have you proper control of your emotions? Are your vices in check? If you continued living in the manner and intensity that you do now, would you come upon the end of your years and honestly say that you have Lived?
Believe me, it takes a great man and one who has risen far above human weaknesses not to allow any of his time to be filched from him, and it follows that the life of such a man is very long because he has devoted wholly to himself whatever time he has had.
‘No’ is a powerful word to wield. Have you learned it? Do you still find yourself dragged into situations where you sit quietly, smiling and nodding, wishing you were somewhere else? The word ‘no’ takes courage—do you have the will to cultivate it? Think of how much further you would be along your own path if you spent those polite smiling/nodding hours working on what excites you, working on some passion project—working on your Self.
All those who summon you to themselves, turn you away from your own self.
Consider how much of yourself you unnecessarily give to others. Are they thinking in your best interest? Does anybody think in your best interest? Do even you, fully aware of the time you waste, think always in your best interest? If not you, then whom?
…postponement is the greatest waste of life.
Promise me that you’ll stop living for tomorrow. Give me your word that you’ll stop ‘putting it off.’ How often have you saved a thing for a better day, only to find that that day never came, and you wasted an opportunity thinking that now ‘wasn’t the right time.’ (Laughing) How can now not be the right time? Is there any other time than this moment? Now is always the right time.
The greatest hindrance to living is expectancy, which depends upon the morrow and wastes to-day.
Perhaps Seneca was a bit harsh: expectancy without action is the greatest hindrance to living. Strive to couple your expectancy with a healthy work ethic. Expect the best and work like a man that deserves it.
. . .
Read Seneca’s Entire Essay Here:
Other Essays You Will Enjoy:
Journey vs. Destination
35 Ways to Live Uber
Detachment and Your Purpose
The Burn Fat, No Sweat! eBook
Did You Like What You Read?
Share it!
Image by Chris Paschke originally found here.
Tagged: obi okorougo, Tagged: philosophy, Tagged: seneca, Tagged: time, Tagged: life
