2 Things Every Person on Earth Needs To Do Before They Die
The phenomenon that is ‘bucket lists’ really owes it’s catalyst to the 2007 movie “The Bucket List” — fantastic movie, and if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend you do. So here’s a little bit of a spoiler, the two main characters, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman are both diagnosed with terminal illness’s, which is why they decide to pursue their dreams, before the clock runs out. And although the movie is chocked full of inspirational quotes and tear-jerking scenes, there was one scene, in particular, that really really resonated with me.
“You know, the ancient Egyptians had a beautiful belief about death. When their souls got to the entrance to heaven, the guards asked two questions. Their answers determined whether they were able to enter or not. ‘Have you found joy in your life?’ ‘Has your life brought joy to others?’
So simple. Life boils down to finding joy, and paying it forward.
One without the other will feel superficial.
Have you found joy in life?
Happiness is something we all strive to find and it’s fundamentally part of all bucket lists — the pursuit of happiness. Always searching, growing and exploring to capture pure and utter bliss. Will it be in the person you’ve always dreamed of meeting, or the day you finally take off for your adventure around the world? Happiness is the secret to a successful life — or at least 50% of our purpose.
When we’re growing up, often finding your purpose/passion in life and exploring your dreams is overlooked as a building block to becoming a successful — or at least functioning — adult. But it shouldn’t be. At the end of the day when you love what you do, you’ll become a better contribute to the overall well being of society. I can go on and on about why it’s so important to ‘find your joy’ but a lot of people are probably asking how. And unfortunately a lot of things that contribute to happiness are out of your immediate control — i.e. time, money, and circumstance. But science has suggested that each individual is in control of about 40% of their own happiness.
“A big chunk of how you feel is under your control, meaning the way you spend your time and the thoughts you allow to linger can really impact your mood and your long-term happiness … the point is that you can seek more positive interactions and take action to change the way you feel, regardless of your life circumstances.” (source)
And if that isn’t appealing enough, check this out, the two biggest factors that contribute to happiness around the world are a sense of community & frequent community celebrations (source). So essentially doing awesome sh*t with a good set of people will make you happy! I’m okay with that.
Has your life brought joy to others?
Secondly, and most importantly, in life, giving back has to be part of the foundation of who you are. Generosity is a part of human nature, because when we remove the focus from ourselves and instead focus on another, it’s amazing what kind of gratification you receive.
Take the story of Sherry Richert Belul:
She chose to celebrate her 48th birthday by completing 48 random acts of kindness within 48 hours — and most of the beneficiaries were strangers.
Richert Belul asked friends to pass along the names of people who could use a little encouragement, and then set about on her mission. She left voice mails of poetry. She sent a book to a recent divorcée. A teenager who had just lost his job received an iTunes gift card. In total, Richert Belul spent $150 of birthday gift money that she had received from family and friends during her pay-it-forward project — and gained an invaluable present for herself in the process.
“I realized how much unconditional love I could feel for people I didn’t know,” she says. “It changed my whole outlook on life. I realized that I don’t ever need to feel lonely or unloved — I don’t think I’ll ever be the same.” (source)
So when the final grains of sand pass through the hourglass, I hope that you have done just two things with your life:
- Find your joy, and find what you love to do
- Pass that joy on to the people around you
