Have you ever seen someone doing something that you’d love to try?

Something like:

• Whitewater rafting
• Hiking in the Himalayas
• Driving a race car
• Shooting under 100 for a round of golf

Or maybe it’s something like making pottery or working with stained-glass.

You see what they are doing and you say to yourself: “Man! I’d love to try that one day!” But of course one day isn’t a day on the calendar - so you never get around to trying it.

I recently met a very interesting young man named Frank who is involved in parkour. If you don’t know what parkour is (or even if you do) you need to watch this amazing three minute video clip. (Warning: your heart will be beating faster by the time you finish it and you if your boss catches you watching it at work, you will have the urge to vault over your cubicle wall to escape.)

I’ve always wanted to try parkour, but I’m wise enough to know that you need some basic training before you start (not to mention a level of physical conditioning that I just don’t have at the moment). Now that I know Frank, I can live vicariously thorough him and that might be just the motivation I need to start getting in shape to try out some of these moves.What about you? What things would you love to try? Are they things that you can jump right into, or do you need to work up to them? If you can jump right in - what’s stopping you? If you need to work up to them - what are you doing to start the process? A good place to start would be to become acquainted with someone who is already doing what you’d like to do.

For 2008, why not vow to surround yourself with “successful” people? And by that, I mean people who are doing what you’d like to do.

Now I just need to ask Frank if he’s ever done THIS - because MAN-O-MAN would I ever love to fly like that!

I’ve posted this question on my Facebook page (go ahead and add me as a friend), but I thought I’d also ask it here.

There’s no right or wrong answer - I’d just like to hear what everyone has to say on the matter!

So: what age is a good age to die?

Please give your answer in the Comments section.

Thanks!

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If you go to Amazon.com and search for the phrase “before you die” you will find an incredible number of books. You’ll find titles such as:

* 1,000 Places to See Before You Die
* 1001 Gardens You Must See Before You Die
* Unforgettable Places to See Before You Die
* Unforgettable Things to Do Before You Die
* 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
* 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
* 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
* 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
* Fifty Places to Sail Before You Die
* Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die

What about you?

Have you made any of your own “… before I die” lists?

If not, why not? It’s a lot of fun!

If you have (or you would like to get started), I encourage you to share them via the the comments section below.

Make your “before I die” list and then get busy crossing off the items! You’ll thank me later!

ENJOY NOW!

Think of someone very dear to you. Perhaps your spouse or lover comes to mind. Maybe it is a child, parent or friend.

Now I want you to imagine that this is the last time you would ever see that person again.

• Imagine how long you would take to say goodbye.
• What would you say?
• What would you make absolutely sure they know?

Our need to say goodbye is tremendously strong. The book Final Gifts by two hospice nurses, Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley, is filled with very touching stories illustrating dying people’s need for closure.

Brazilian author Paulo Coelho recently shared the following story:

During the atrocities that accompanied the Bolshevik revolution, thousands of people were arbitrarily arrested, beaten, stripped and executed with a shot in the back of the head. According to one witness: “at the most tragic moment in our lives we have an absolute need to not feel alone. So most of the victims asked to say goodbye - and since there was nobody nearby, they embraced and said farewell to their executioners.”

Life is full of uncertainties. We never know when we will be saying goodbye for the last time. Now I’m not advocating that you say your final goodbyes each and every time you leave for work or head to the store for milk.

What I am suggesting is that from time to time we need to check in with ourselves to ensure that those whom we love know how much they mean to us.

I will consider my life a success if I can go to my grave knowing that there is no one to whom I didn’t get the chance to say the words “I’m sorry”, “I forgive you”, or “I love you”.

Is there anything you are leaving unsaid?