You’re only old if you’re going to live for a long time. If you will die next month, then you are arguably very old.

This is the concept of relative age.

For example: I’m 28 now, but what if my relative age is actually 95?

I have now dwelled on this earth 10,000 days already.

Hmmm. I don’t feel old…

You know, it doesn’t really matter how old I feel if I don’t live to the end of the year. My relative age matters much more than my chronological age.

Yet, even while I’m writing this, I want to argue and disagree. I want to quote the odds of living a long life and seeing my children grow up.

To whatever degree, that’s just not my call to make.

It’s so tempting to deny death and ignore its imminence, which is the problem. Yet I am in denial of the fact that I will die.

And you will die.

Sooner or later than we expect — who can know.

Acknowledge your relative age might be very old. Even if it’s not, you will be better off imagining it.

Not to breed fear or anxiety.

But to create tremendous clarity.

What is the most important thing for you to do before you die?

Let’s say you have time for any ONE thing, but nothing more.

Think about it until you have utter clarity about the one thing you need to do, given your relative age.

And on that happy note…