I recently listened to an episode of my favourite podcasts: Radiolab.  The topic-du-jour was death – specifically, what are the end-of-life preferences of medical doctors.

“We turn to doctors to save our lives — to heal us, repair us, and keep us healthy. But when it comes to the critical question of what to do when death is at hand, there seems to be a gap between what we want doctors to do for us, and what doctors want done for themselves.”

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Researchers have published findings in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Review indicating that “an awareness of mortality can improve physical health and help us re-prioritize our goals and values.”

I have to admit, when I read that I felt a great sense of vindication.  Since I started speaking about The Power of Mortality™ in 2003, I’ve had numerous people tell me that it’s a “morbid” topic and that I was freaking people out with all this focus on mortality and the inevitability of our eventual deaths.  This study refutes that claim, instead illustrating that focusing on mortality can have exactly the opposite effects – both for the individual and for society as a whole.

From the article’s abstract:

The awareness of mortality can motivate people to:

• enhance their physical health and prioritize growth-oriented goals;
• live up to positive standards and beliefs;
• build supportive relationships and encourage the development of peaceful, charitable communities; and
• foster open-minded and growth-oriented behaviours.

So if you haven’t already taken the Mortality Manifesto Pledge… what are you waiting for? Just think of the power that’s waiting for you!

Recently, I read an article from Ellen Britt titled The Ebook Tipping Point. Ellen mentioned that on January 27, 2011 Amazon announced that sales of Kindle ebooks overtook sales of paperback books.  This shocked me.  I was further shocked to read that Kindle ebooks had already overtaken hardcover books six months before that.

In 2005, when I was writing my first book, I looked into the ebook market.  I interviewed a number of people who had released ebooks and NONE them were making any money at it or having any real success giving them away either.  And so I decided to release my book as a hardcover.

Well… that was part of the reason.  The real reason I decided it needed to be a hardcover book was because of my ego.  I was wrapped up in my ego. I wanted my book to be a “real” book – not an ebook.  Because of the intensely personal nature of my story and my message, I had decided to self-publish my book rather than going through a traditional publisher.  I wanted to retain control over every aspect of the message.  But in 2005 there was a much finer line between self-publishing and “vanity press” publishing.  The last thing I wanted was for my book to be dismissed as a vanity-press project. Mine was going to be a “real” book and nothing says “real” like hardcover. So that’s what I did in 2005.

By the time 2008 rolled around, more books were self-published than published through traditional publishers.  The self-publishing tipping point had been reached. And now a similar tipping point has occurred with ebooks. The world has changed a lot since 2005.

I released the ebook version of What’s Your Expiry Date? back in January 2010. And now I’m considering what’s next.

I was planning to write a follow-up book.  But now my thinking has changed somewhat.  Now, I’m thinking that I will write multiple follow-up books and that each will be aimed at a specific audience (like this) and deal with a specific aspect of the follow-up conversation.  And I think they will be ebooks!

Stay tuned!!

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In 1994 I discovered the Power of Mortality™.

In 2003 I realized that this message needed to be shared with others, so I started my career as a professional motivational keynote speaker, and have had the privilege of sharing the Power of Mortality™ with thousands of people.

In 2005 I wrote my first book What’s Your Expiry Date? Embrace Mortality – Live With Vitality.

Then in 2009 I moved into what I thought of as “phase II” of my message – Choose The Life You Want.

My thought was that I’d spent long enough talking and writing about mortality and wanted to help people focus on what to do next – how to turn off the “autopilot” and start actively choosing the life they want.  I left this website alone and haven’t really done much with it at all.

But lately, I came to realize that the Power of Mortality™ will always be a critical component to what I do.  I also realized that there will always be people who need to hear the message the the Power of Mortality has to offer and that they need to hear it from me.

But most importantly, I realized that there is more work for me to do in the area of mortality.  I have more to say.

photo by NoneOther... {Captured In Lights}...

In 2005 I wrote a book called What’s Your Expiry Date? Embrace Your Mortality – Live With Vitality.  In it, I introduced a concept I call The Power of Mortality™.  I have been speaking about this topic since 2003 and done many radio and television interviews, including an hour long interview with Dr. Oz on Oprah & Friends.  In 2009 I was featured in a documentary movie.  But first and foremost the accomplishment that means the most to me is the incredible feedback that I get from people who have been impacted by my message.

People have changed their attitudes.  People have changed their behaviors. People have changed their careers.  People have changed their relationships. People have changed their lives! What more can you ask than to be able to do life-changing work?

In December of 2008 I got a message from my friend Sherry.  We’ve never had the pleasure of meeting but have connected through Facebook.  She and her family are fans of my book.  They even have my Mortality Manifesto printed out and displayed on their fridge!  Here’s what Sherry had to say:

I don’t know how you and your family talk about death, dying, living (I know your kids are younger) but my 12 year old daughter just brought it up to me.  We were in the car and she just very quietly said, I love you Mom.  We say it a lot in our house so I didn’t make much of it.  Then also quietly she said, “i’m afraid to die”.  Of course, i turned off the radio and really listened (which is what i should have been doing anyway).  I’m not sure what brought it on but I think i remember having thoughts about mortality at about her age.
I really took it as an amazing opportunity to talk about mortality with her.  I mentioned your name and your message (along with a bit of my own thoughts) and she knew who you were because I talk about you a lot in our home.

My point is, we continued the conversation at home in bed in the dark (where all the best intimate conversations happen).  And we will continue the conversations as they come up.  I`m pleased to say that she understands about mortality as something that is inevitable.  And she has agreed to open her mind to facing it without fear.  She also knows that there is every reason to believe that she and her family will live long lives but that each day is a gift.

So… thanks! You gave some powerful parenting tools.

Within a few weeks I had created an outline of a book that would be aimed at children, to help them to understand the idea of mortality and to approach it from a place of power, rather than fear.

And then… my life got crazy so I shelved that project.

Now, I’m proud to say that it’s back in full swing!

My question to you is:

What age do kids start to ask questions about mortality?

I’d love to hear your insights and anecdotes on the topic.