Originally posted by Dave Thompson on work blog, April 20, 2012:

I read a book recently called What I Learned When I Almost Died by Chris Licht. He is the executive producer of Morning Joe on MSNBC and had a sudden brain hemorrhage. They never ended up figuring out the cause or why the bleeding stopped – yikes! I thought this was a great quote from him and something we should all consider as we define the dreams we want to chase in life (I also thought it was funny how he referenced bucket lists):

“My brain bleed was an official public notice that no one can count on having the time that they expect. If you’re ready and capable, reach for the next level of whatever you do. If something looks appealing and challenging, have a go. Otherwise, it’s a pretty average life. I haven’t wondered so far into the realm of cliché that I now have a bucket list – win Iditarod, excavate Mayan ruins, stomp grapes – but I’m far more open to spontaneity. You sometimes hear that illness is a way of telling the victim to slow down. That’s not the message my illness sent me. Mine said, “Get moving.” What happened to me was an unsolicited, but invaluable reminder that none of us gets to choose how many days we have. Everybody’s supply is limited, some far more than others. There are no hours to be wasted on anger at an illness that is not your fault. There are none to be wasted on anxiety about who says what about you or whether they like you. These things are beyond your power of influence. What you can control, though, is how you use the unknowable amount of time you have. And if you choose not to invest in the uncontrollable and the trivial, something wonderful happens. You actually wind up with more time: more to enjoy family and friends and colleagues, more to keep yourself sane, more to appreciate simply being here.”

Take advantage of wake-up calls in your life or in those around you. If you’ve never had a close encounter with a wake-up call then count your blessings…but don’t wait for a wake-up call to get your butt in gear. All any of us has guaranteed is today. Create some focus in your life by creating a list of goals or dreams. I love that the quote above references finding time to enjoy all of those around you. We all need to watch out for people we love that are around us. Pay attention. Listen. Enjoy today. Cherish the journey. Get moving!