1. The more you embrace the reality of mortality, the wiser your decisions become. When you set out to live up to your fullest potential and create a lifestyle that’s in complete alignment with your innermost self, you’ll cut back on squandering your time with distractions, spending on frivolous things, and being in the company of people you would never aspire to be.

2. When people suggest that you quit whatever you’re doing because they believe you’ll never make it or you’re not talented enough to pursue it, you are better equipped to handle their judgments and not be swayed by them. You understand that their words are spoken out of fear of the worst outcome and that they get impatient when you don’t show proof of achieving an end goal right away. You pursue what feels most worthwhile to you, which makes you ruthless in uprooting frivolous distractions and unhealthy habits, even when others might discourage you because you know you don’t have time to live in regret for not trying at all.

3. You are not attached to lofty end goals because you value growth and sustainability so that you’re best able to do a few things well and balance everything that’s essential to you. This entails taking care of your body, mind, heart, and soul without trying to copy someone else’s curated, picture-perfect lifestyle.

4. You wisely note that you don’t have forever to be enslaved to unrealistic goals, prejudices from other people, or hatred of yourself. You believe that it is better to pursue a life of gratitude and peace than to stew in anger and self-pity for prolonged periods of time.

5. You would rather choose a short life with vibrant and unforgettable experiences that make you think and grow in ways you couldn’t possibly imagine, instead of a long life in which you live in complacency and apathy. Thus, you go through life proactively and with a courageous spirit, regardless of how much you’ll suffer and face adversity along your journey.

6. You are free from keeping up with the worldly race to be the best and have the most because you’d rather pursue a wealthy inner life that can never be bought, weighted, or sold. Because you know your time is short, you make best use of what you have within you to live in unconditional joy that isn’t dependent on anything you can’t create for yourself.

7. You fully understand that any second you waste trying to mold yourself into someone you don’t even want to be is a second that’s taken away from the life of your true self. With this core belief, you are bold in saying “no” to conformist standards that you cannot possibly meet and instead craft your own manifesto of individuality that you’d like to abide by.

8. You embrace the freedom that comes from living simply in obscurity. While some people use the shortness of life as an excuse to chase recklessly after fame, fortune, and dangerous highs, you choose the opposite route and seek a life of simplicity and do not demand anything from the outside world to make you feel content, secure, or complete because you know you already are.