Root Cause of my Impatience Could be Impending Death
Do you feel like you are running out of time?
Because I’m afraid I won’t have enough time to leave a legacy, I rush everything—and end up producing mediocre “content” and “poetry.”
As a kid, I heard my father say, “I know I will live till 61.” I wondered: do I know my number? After scoring 72% in high school and crying over it, I had this odd feeling I might live till 72.
Sometimes I think the body knows its timeline and the brain leaks signals. Or maybe I’m completely wrong.
Another take
Maybe I’m simply at peace with mediocrity and don’t crave greatness like air or water.
When asked what she fears most, Taylor Swift said “mediocrity.” Bill Gates said, “I don’t want my brain to stop working.”
I fear premature death more than I fear mediocrity, maybe.
If I knew my remaining years
Would I live differently?
Ten years left—how would I change? Two years—what then? Terminal cancer, two months—what matters now?
Twain ringing in my ears with his words,
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
My question: knowing we could die any moment, why do we still live like cowards—or like machines?
Camus ringing in my ears with his words,
“Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is.”
When my first company’s HR asked why I wanted to resign, I said: “Everyone here works like a machine. I’m not a machine. I’m unique.”
Carl Jung ringing in my ears with his words,
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”
Your take:
Most days, I feel the urge to leave a legacy. Worthy or not, lucky or not, I’ll try. Despite my impulsivity and quirks, I’ll aim for a legacy—not fame.
They’re not the same.
Here’s a parable to drive the point home:
A runner and a gardener start on the same day. The runner breaks records. The gardener plants seeds. Ten years later, the records are forgotten. The trees give shade.
Which one lived with time, not against it?
Do you also feel like leaving a legacy behind? If yes, which field or sector?