Even as medical science and quality of life continue to increase our lifespans, it seems as though many of us are not really living the life we’re given. Too often we are caught in the “busy” trap, running, running, running—but never getting much of anywhere. But how would you live differently if you knew you were going to die?

1. 5 Disturbing
Lessons About
Success And
Happiness

2. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Title
Text
Introduction
5 Disturbing Lessons About
Success And Happiness
Even as medical science and quality of life continue to increase our lifespans, it
seems as though many of us are not really living the life we’re given.
Too often we are caught in the “busy” trap, running, running, running—but never
getting much of anywhere.
But how would you live differently if you knew you were going to die?

3. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved© 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Not to be morose, but we all are going to die—sooner or later. And while
death is something we humans pretty universally fear, thinking about our
own demise can actually spur us to live more fully.
In surveys of people who know they are going to die, the regrets are
almost never “I wish I had worked more,” or even “I wish I had made more
money.” More often they are about success and happiness in their truest
forms.
I chose these five common regrets from a book called, aptly, The Top 5
Regrets of the Dying, by Bonnie Ware, a palliative care nurse in Australia
who routinely asked her patients about their regrets and recorded them
on her blog.
Finding true success and happiness

4. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
So often we make decisions in our life based on what others want or
believe. You got a particular university degree because it’s what your
father wanted. You took a certain job because you wanted to make more
money to support your family. You didn’t pursue your dreams because
someone told you they were foolish.
But what would happen if you lived a life that was true to yourself, and no
one else? How would you dress? Where would you work? How would you
live? Who would you spend your time with? What would you do if you
weren’t afraid of what others would think?
Although there are certain constraints on all of us, the closer we can come
to living that true life, the happier we will be.
I wish I'd dared to live a life true to myself,
not the life others expected of me.

5. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Ware reported that she heard this from almost every single one of her
male patients. We often think we have to work 40, 60, 80 hours a week
because it's expected because we want the promotion or the raise, but is it
worth it?
If you were truly honest with yourself, which would be more important:
working hard to earn all that money or having a different lifestyle? With
even a few conscious choices, you can tweak your lifestyle to make it
possible.
I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.

6. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
How often do you bite your tongue to keep the peace? We’re told, “Don’t
get so emotional about it,” or “Don’t let your emotions rule you,” but our
emotions are our own personal truth. No one can deny how you feel
about something.
We cannot control how other people react to us, but we can control how
we respond. Does that mean you should break down crying in your next
board meeting? Maybe not. But if you can take your emotions and
channel them into positive change, a productive conversation with
someone, or even a lifestyle shift, your emotions—even negative ones—
can have a huge positive impact on your life.
I wish I'd dared to express my feelings.

7. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
It’s easy to let personal relationships slide (especially if we’re working too
much, as in No. 2), but personal connections are what give life meaning—
not reports and promotions and pay raises. Not television and video
games and all the other time sucks of modern day life.
Who could you reach out to today? Who could you call, or write, or text (if
you must) and let them know you’re thinking of them? How would it make
you feel? And how would it make them feel? It’s pretty much a no-lose
situation.
I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

8. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
There’s so much wisdom tied up in that little statement. Happiness, it turns
out, doesn’t have that much to do with the car you drive or the job you
have or even the person you spend your life with. Happiness is actually a
choice.
It’s the difference between seeing an unexpected event as a setback or an
adventure; the difference between being frustrated by a delay or relishing
the time alone; the difference between resenting someone for who they
aren’t and loving them for who they are.
I wish that I had let myself be happier.

9. © 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved© 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
We don’t have to repeat the mistakes of those who have gone before us. Our
happiness, our success, nearly every detail of our lives comes down to choice, and
we can choose to live the way we truly want to live, or spend our final days
regretting the choices we didn’t make.
I hope that these somber truths help inspire you to make the choices you won’t
regret. I have always tried to take the loss of my father when I was a teenager and
the loss of my mum when I was a young man as reminders to not leave happiness
for a later date, but make the choices that lead to true success today.
How can the regrets of the dying help inspire your choices about the way you live
your life today? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Please share your
thoughts…
Conclusion

10. © 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website
© 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website

11. BernardMarr
hello@bernardmarr.com
www.bernardmarr.com