"It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life is long enough, and a sufficiently generous amount has been given to us for the highest achievements if it were all well invested. But when it is wasted in heedless luxury and spent on no good activity, we are forced at last by death’s final constraint to realize that it has passed away before we knew it was passing. So it is: we are not given a short life but we make it short, and we are not ill-supplied but wasteful of it… Life is long if you know how to use it."
This is a significant assertion and I would urge you to peruse it once more. The more I read it, the more I am enlivened by it.
These phrases stick out the most to me:
“It is not that we have a short time to live… but that we waste a lot of it…”
“Life is long enough for the highest achievements if it were all well invested…”
“It is wasted in heedless luxury and spent on no good activity…”
“We are not given a short life but we make it short, and we are not ill-supplied but wasteful of it…”
I ought to, maybe, end this article the present moment—with Seneca's own words—as opposed to suspecting I can develop them. Yet, perhaps, for only a couple short sentences, I will remark. You (the individual perusing these words the present moment) were intended to accomplish incredible things! You are remarkable in your being, your substance, your capacities, and your connections. Furthermore, there is nobody else on the substance of the earth who can carry on with your life and achieve your great.
Kindly, remember that.
There is no question that "achievement" and "accomplishment" are relative words and your most noteworthy accomplishment is not the same as another person's most elevated accomplishment. You may never lead thousands or fix malignant growth. However, no doubt about it:
There is a decent that you are intended to bring into this world. Furthermore, there are individuals in your day-to-day existence that you can serve and cherish better compared to any other person.
It is up to us to decide, every day, to focus our energies on those things worthy of the one life we have been given.
Discard the inessential. Remove the distractions. Reject worthless activity.
Your life is too short… to waste accumulating material possessions.
Your life is too short… to be offended all the time.
Your life is too short… to chase accolades.
Your life is too short… to compare it to others.
Your life is too short… to waste watching 6 hours of television/day.
Your life is too short… to pursue riches.
Your life is too short… to not believe in yourself.
Your life is too short… to not forgive.
Your life is too short… to not speak your mind.
Your life is too short… to worry about the future.
Your life is too short… to regret the past.
Your life is too short… to live in fear.
Your life is too short… to be unhappy.
Your life is too short… to waste time on the trivial.
Your life is too short… to live like everyone else.
Your life is too short… to not be true to yourself.
And life is too short to wait.
