92. Spend Time with Your Kids
At the end of our lives, few of us regret not having made more money. Just doesn’ t happen. What we truly regret are the places we didn’ t visit, the friendship we didn’ t nurture, the risks we didn’ t take and the things we didn’ t do with the people we love. Brings me to the point I need to passionately make: Spend time with your kids.
I love what I do. Sure there are lots of airplanes( I still feel like a kid on every flight takeoff). Lots of big events in cool places. Lot of great conversations with interesting people from all walks of life. Lots of wonderful opportunities to share my message wit those who need it. But nothing – and I really do mean nothing – is more important to me than being a great dad. I’ ve worked with too many executives who get to the top of the mountain and realized that they lost what mattered most along the way.
It’ s human nature to take the people who love us the most for granted. I’ m not saying that’ s a good thing – I’ m saying that’ s just the way we are wired. We need to resist our nature and develop a rich sense of gratitude for our family. Don’ t be one of those people who has to experience loss( through divorce or death) before you wake up to the blessings you have. I’ ve seen that happen. All the time. With people all around the world.
If you had 30 minutes left to live, you’ d be reaching for your phone to tell those closest to you how much you love them. Then you’ d run home and, holding your heart in your hand, speak truthfully about the love that you feel. Just think about the tragedy of 9 / 11. I still remember those cell phone calls from the people tapped in the towers. Heartbreaking.
If you had 30 minutes left to live, You’ d be reaching for your phone to tell those Closest to you how much you love them.
I know you’ re busy. Tons to do. Places to go and people to meet. But take a minute, right here and right now to make a call. Tell your kids how much you care. Tell your wife or your husband or your mom or your dad or your brother or sister or best friend how you feel about them. You’ ll never regret it. Trust me.