One can go through contemporary life fudging and evading, indulging and slacking, never really frightened nor passionately stirred, your highest moment a mere sentimental orgasm, and your first real contact with primary and elemental necessities the sweat of your deathbed. —H. G. Wells

Most of us are so caught up in the busy-ness of life that we put off the things that are most important to us - beginning or completing that project our heart calls us to act on, taking time with friends, children, loved ones. Time stretches out before us and we think that we will do it tomorrow, next week, as soon as things settle down.

The pace of modern life gets faster with each passing year. Unless you take charge and resist the temptation, pressure, or expectation to keep up with it, you will likely never do the thing that you say you most want to do. Getting clear on what your goals are is the first step, but goals are meaningless unless you structure your time so you can pursue them.

Stephen and Ondrea Levine's book, A Year to Live, is an excellent tool to help you accomplish this time structuring, because imagining that this is your last year on the planet brings you to grips with what is most important in your life.

In their work with dying people, the Levines came to a profound appreciation of what death has to teach us. There is nothing like imagining that this is the last time you will see the leaves turn color, the snow fall, or the buds open in springtime, to awaken you to the importance of living each moment fully and keeping your priorities clearly before you.

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