Nothing in life is guaranteed. Today you might be healthy, saving for retirement and planning for the future. Tomorrow you might be gone. Life is short. All we have is the present moment. Although our perception of time is not universal, here is one way of answering the question, “What is a life?”
A life is made up of days.
If you live to be 82 years old, you get 29,930 days to live. You aren’t really conscious for the first five. You sleep for another 1/3rd. That brings you to 18,549 days. 2 hours of eating, grooming, shitting, and taking care of yourself occupies 12.5% of each day. 15,036 remain.
Don’t forget about the elephant in the room, your job. Some people work more, others work less. But if you work 40 hours a week (1.66 full days/week) 50 weeks a year for 40 years you will work 3,333 days in your career.
There are other days when you are injured or sick. As an athlete I know the frustration of sitting on the couch or on the sidelines unable to do what I love. If you avoid a major injury, disease or illness, you might have 20 days a year where your body is unable to perform at an optimal level. 20 x 77 = 1,540. There are a few days here and there to do stuff like your taxes, commuting, moving, and whatnot, but we won’t go too far into the weeds.
Here’s the math.
29,930 – (5×365) (Your first 5 years that don’t count) = 28,105
28,105 x 0.66 (sleep) = 18,549.3
28,105 x .125 (self care) =3,513 days. 18,549 – 3,513=15,036
15,036 – 3,333 (your job/making $$$) = 11,703
11,703 – 1540 (injuries and illness) = 10,163 days
That’s all we get. 10,163 days. And unless you’re 5 years old, your remaining number is even less.
Contemplating mortality is a powerful tool to reevaluate what matters. First, find out what you love to do. During your 10,163, do that stuff. There will always be an excuse- “I’m too tired,” or “I have things to do”- but the 10,163 are precious. Second, if you’re going to spend 3,333 full days working (or more like 10,000 if you count the number of days you will work for 8 hours) it might be a good idea to find a career that you enjoy. Finally, when you decide today is one of your 10,163, leave the stress and anxiety from all the other days behind. Don’t waste those precious days by allowing your mind to be elsewhere. The ephemeral nature of life can nurture passion, recalibrate values and clarify priorities.
Kyle Huber 