In Pursuit of a Memorable Life
Oct 13, 2016
A few months ago my friend shared a TED Talk by Dustin Garis called Pursuit of a Memorable Life, and watching it filled me with inspiration. I highly encourage everyone to watch it. In the talk Dustin discusses how after going through job interviews where the interviewers would always comment on life passing them by, he decided to embark on a journey addressing the question of "where did the time go?"
After traveling around the world for about a year, he met a Russian scientist in Moscow who told him, "life is not the number of days you live; it's the number of days you remember." Then went on to ask, which I encourage you to ask yourself, "how many days from the past month do you remember?" Most people only have 3 memorable days, and there is now scientific proof that as life goes on we develop an established schedule with fewer out of the ordinary experiences. Approximately 90% of our daily activities are the same, and 50% of this is considered mindless.
Initially this shocked me, but the more I thought about it, I realized it's not that surprising. We are creatures of habit; most of us don't enjoy change. But change is crucial to living a memorable life. They don't necessarily need to be huge changes, even just trying new foods or going on a walk instead of watching TV is breaking the routine of your every day life. That is the goal here: Get in the habit of breaking your routine. These are the experiences we remember!
This video hits so close to home with my journey to mindfulness. By focusing on the present moment, I'm pursuing a memorable life. By breaking my every day routine, I'm pursuing a memorable life. And as Dustin says in the video, "The key to living a memorable life, is the pursuit of a memorable life."
After traveling around the world for about a year, he met a Russian scientist in Moscow who told him, "life is not the number of days you live; it's the number of days you remember." Then went on to ask, which I encourage you to ask yourself, "how many days from the past month do you remember?" Most people only have 3 memorable days, and there is now scientific proof that as life goes on we develop an established schedule with fewer out of the ordinary experiences. Approximately 90% of our daily activities are the same, and 50% of this is considered mindless.
Initially this shocked me, but the more I thought about it, I realized it's not that surprising. We are creatures of habit; most of us don't enjoy change. But change is crucial to living a memorable life. They don't necessarily need to be huge changes, even just trying new foods or going on a walk instead of watching TV is breaking the routine of your every day life. That is the goal here: Get in the habit of breaking your routine. These are the experiences we remember!
This video hits so close to home with my journey to mindfulness. By focusing on the present moment, I'm pursuing a memorable life. By breaking my every day routine, I'm pursuing a memorable life. And as Dustin says in the video, "The key to living a memorable life, is the pursuit of a memorable life."
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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treat. This information is based on research and knowledge by the author, and the ideas are not intended as substitute for medical advice. As with any products it is suggested that you check with your medical practitioner prior to use. The author disclaims any liability arising directly or indirectly from the use of any products mentioned herein.
3 comments - Share Your Thoughts
Anna |
You constantly inspire me!! Needed this for my up coming trip so much, thanks for being you! You beautiful soul!
Kaylie Schmidt |
Love you to pieces, anna banana!! I HOPE YOUR TRIP IS GOING FABULOUSLY!!!!! <3 <3 <3 kisses xoxo
Rob Schmidt |
This idea is explored more in the book “The Power of Habit”
It’s at home :)
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