Dream as if you will live forever, live as if you will die tomorrow!

James Dean

Do you know who is James Dean? I searched through Wikipedia to find out that he was an American film actor, and he is dead only at the age of 24, by a car accident.

It’s tragic, isn’t it? Someone who’s having a dream as if living forever, yet died in such a young age! But despite of his tragic end of his life, let’s looking at how his dream has made his achievement, at a such young age, he has filmed 8 movies and playing several times on the broadway stage and TV shows. That’s really an achievement that we can learn from, the power of dream and actions! I’ll let Wikipedia to summarize his achievement…

He was the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and remains the only person to have two such nominations posthumously.

James Dean @ Wikipedia

James Dean also has a bad beginning in life, he has got “moodiness and antisocial” during his childhood due to the death of his mom. Again, a story of limitation turned into advantages, he’s got a dream of acting very early in his life, dreaming big and aiming as he will live forever.

Here are 5 things to check if you’ve got a dream as if you will live forever:

1. Have you dreamed big?

Don’t you think we can achieve our biggest dream, given that we have unlimited time? Dream as if you will live forever talk about the goal that will take the best of you, all your resources, time and energy. Dream a big goal, something that even require you to live forever! Achieving half of your big dream is still much better than no big dream!

2. Have you involved others in your dream?

One of the secret of a big dream as if you’ll live forever is not to pursue your dream alone. In his book “25 Ways to Win with People” (check below), John C. Maxwell together with Les Parrot shared that our dream is not big enough if we don’t involve others. Here is what John say…

When the vision gets bigger than you, you really only have two choices: give up on the vision or get help

John C. Maxwell (25 Ways to Win with People)

That’s really the secret of a dream as if you will live forever, it’s the dream that you can share to others, it’s a dream that you need others to achieve it, hence it’s a dream that is able to be passed down to the next generations. The dream is still alive and progressing even when you’re no longer there, because there are other people continuing the pursuit of your goal!

3. Are you leaving a legacy?

Robin Sharma in one of his podcast, “How To Live Forever”! The first point he is mentioning is don’t postpone living, and the second point is making a contribution…

Greatness comes by beginning something that doesn’t end with you, by leaving a legacy.

Robin Sharma

That’s another way we can live forever, we’re making contribution that can leave forever, it can be the friends we have met, the people we’ve grown, the organization or business we have set up, the contribution we have made to the society and it can be the blog you have written. If you’re a blogger, leave a legacy through your blog!

4. Are you enjoying your journey?

Do you know one thing that most of the time takes away our enjoyment? DEADLINE! we rushed through things. It’s very normal to have deadline for everything in this world, it’s good on how it can drives us out of procrastination. But living your dream as you will live forever also means that you’re enjoying your journey! no deadline to meet! Don’t let your dream burden you! Enjoy the pursuit of our dream, not comparing to one another, not thinking hierarchy but journey!

5. Do you live each day your best?

The quote doesn’t end with dreaming as if you live forever only, the quote ends with a request we need to do, to live each day your very best, as if you’re gonna die tomorrow! Dreaming big doesn’t mean we’re forgetting today! Morrie Schwartz in the book “Tuesdays with Morrie”, when being asked about a perfect day, surprisingly mentioning a very simple life, where he’s still doing his hobby, dancing, enjoying the nature, and spending time with his best friends! That reflects what is important to you! Do also what is important to you that you can do today!

In Conclusion

Instead of letting life act on us, dream a big dream, and making progress towards your dream, each day to be given our best, everyday as we’ll die tomorrow!

Here is a very good statement Robin got from his father…

Robin, when you were born, you cry while the world rejoice. Son, live your life in such a way that when you die, the world cries while you rejoice.

Robin Sharma

New year is always being related to dreams and goals, now review your dream with the checlist above, make a commitment to dream as if you live forever, and live your best everyday. What’s your dream? How will you apply the 5 questions above to pursue your dream? Please share your thoughts in the comments as well!

All the best!
Robert

Resources:

Robin Sharma’s Free Podcast