DTH-X-0026
“No one would notice if I just phoned the rest of it in.”
You're right, no one is watching closely enough to catch the coasting. But the days still get spent whether you spend them on purpose or not. A life half-lived in secret is still the only one you get. The witness that matters is the one who will run out of time: you.
Your Practice
- Admit the coast out loud: 'I've been treating my days like they're infinite.'
- Pick the one thing you'd be doing right now if the calendar were short. Start it before noon.
- Cut one thing you only do to fill time. Let the empty space stay empty.
- At day's end, ask the only judge who counts: did I spend this on purpose?
The Architects
“People who did great things often did so at very surprisingly young ages... So, hurry up! You can do great things.”
Patrick Collison, "Advice" essay, patrickcollison.com/advice, section "If you're 10-20" (closing item)