The Question Steve Jobs Asks Himself Each Day
“If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ If the answer is ‘no’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”
This is reputed to be the question That Steve Jobs asks himself each day and I think it is a question we should all be asking ourselves.
There is a lot to be said about living each day as if it was your last. Life is for living not waiting for tomorrow to arrive. We should take every moment and make the most of it while we still can. Squeeze every ounce of life out of it that we can.
What is interesting about this quote is the end part that is very often overlooked or the quote itself is taken out of context.
If the answer is ‘no’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
What Steve is saying here that we shouldn’t just live our lives like it was the last day of our lives but also that we should be aware that there is a tomorrow for most of us. It’s the number of days that we are wasting along the way.
If the answer is ‘no’ for too many days in a row
Too many days in a row says to me that we should take stock at the end of each day and week and ask ourselves did we live enough today? Is there more I could have done, so if today was indeed my last day would I be happy and proud of what I achieved?
There are many things that we can achieve each day that when we reflect we can confidently say, YES.
Things that are achievable each day:
Planning and working towards a future for your family — can bring a great deal of happiness knowing that you are taking care of your loved ones even if you are no longer around to do that.
Having a new experience either through travelling somewhere new — even taking a different route home from work or exploring a new place on the weekend can show you what you normally wouldn’t see and who knows what you may discover.
Starting a conversation about a subject you know very little about — This is a great way to expand your knowledge and learn even more about other people’s lives and experiences.
Spending time with the ones closest to you — you can never spend enough time with them but you can always regret not spending enough.
These are just a few simple things we can do each day to get more out of life. I am sure you can think of many more.
If the answer to the question is no, then take some time to think about who you are right now and who you want to be.
Remember that changes don’t happen overnight they take time while we build new habits.
Don’t allow too many days when you answer no.