Seven (7) Vital Questions: Life is Short, Do What Matters!
On the 30th of September 2023, I had just finished a 10-hour strategy brainstorming session with a client and the three of us were heading to my car (I was going to drive), around 7:30 pm. Where my car was parked, there was a very deep gutter uncovered with a concrete slab (I assumed I had enough margin to maneuver; but I was wrong!).
As I approached my car to open it, all I remembered was a quick shuffle and a big slip. Within split seconds I had hit my chest on the ground, and my legs were dangling in the ditch (gutter), struggling, kicking, and trying to push myself up. The gutter was so deep my feet did not touch the ground. My wife and my business colleague rushed towards me along with two men (an Okada rider and a mallam selling in front of one of the buildings) rushed to rescue me as I cried out for help!
I have been thinking about how to share this story without talking about my religious beliefs (so I will save that part for me and my Christian brethren in a different post). All week I have been thinking hard about my life (with plenty of what-ifs, I am genuinely grateful to God that I survived the incident, it would have been a different story today).
The incident has forced me to rethink my life and priorities.
As you grow older, you have a lot of time to think about your life, what you have done well and what you could have done better. The sad truth is that there is hardly anything you can do about your past but there is a lot you can do about today to influence the type of future you want, which is why I wanted to talk to you about 7 vital questions that have been ringing in my head since that unfortunate incident.
Here is my list, I am sure there are others, please feel free to add them in the comment section.
1. What are you going to do before you check out? Life is short so do what matters! The question I have been asking myself is what are the top 5 things that I want to do before I leave this world that will give me fulfillment, deep satisfaction and impact others – Call it a bucket list (if you don’t have one, there is no better time to think about it than now, write them down and start acting on it them.
2. How do you want to retire? This is one question people prefer to push till the last hour (the truth is that someday retirement will come (whether we are ready for it or not), what do I want my retirement to look like? Should I take up teaching, volunteer, or travel the world? So many questions; it may be a great idea for you to start thinking about yours (don’t say you are too young). You need to answer questions like where you want to live (city or the countryside?) What type and value of income do you want to earn and any backup career?
3. A time and place for ME? While it is good to think about how you are going to support your spouse, children, friends, colleagues, and family, you need time for yourself too. What type of relationship do you want to have with yourself, your relationship with God (or whatever your higher being is?), you need to think about your health (remember you live in a body? It needs to be taken care of, as you do your car or horses).
4. What type of Education? You need to keep learning. Education is a continuum, it never stops, do you want to go back to school, get a new degree, learn a new craft, or specialize in something? Your choice! The world is your oyster.
5. What lessons do you want to share with others? Yes, what lessons have you learnt personally, at work, in school, as a parent, employer or employee you want to share with others? The world wants to hear from you. Don’t leave the world without sharing something with people (it may be your only legacy that people will treasure for years to come). “The graveyard is the richest place on earth, because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled, the books that were never written, the songs that were never sung, the inventions that were never shared, the cures that were never discovered, all because someone was too afraid to take that first step, keep with the problem, or determined to carry out their dream.”
― Les Brown
6. Who do You want to spend it with? I know this question makes a lot of people uncomfortable, but it’s better faced now than later, as the character (Tony D’Amato) played by Al Pacino said in the movie - Any Given Sunday “when you get old, things get taken away from you”. Misunderstanding, jealousy, ill health, distance, and death could take away relationships you value, nurture the ones you have NOW, and continue to build your networks (it helps your longevity).
7. How are you going to fund your dream? The six items written before this one requires time, effort, dedication and more importantly money. How are you going to fund your dream? I do not have a silver bullet answer for you, but it is important to think about it, develop an action plan and act on it (do not forget to ask for help where you need it). If you don’t have money (Mulla, Ego, Owo, Kudi, Dollars) to fund your dream, the experience could be nightmarish.
Enjoy life with the people you care about, respect people, try your best to be on good terms with people, life is short, DO what matters!
