The "One Life" Myth - Ryan Paugh

How many lives do you have?

We’re told that we only have one life, and that we’d better make the most of it. As the story goes, we’re born and then we die. The time in between is our one life. But look a little closer. Are you sure that you’re born just once? Are you sure that you die just once?

Put a photo of you at 5 years old next to a photo of you today. Are you that 5 year old? Do you still watch cartoons, jump up and down on your bed, and have trouble putting pasta directly in your mouth? If not, then where’d the 5 year old go?

Recall the you from university. What were your habits, your likes, your dislikes, your interests? How did you spend your days? Who were your friends? If your answers to those questions would be different today, then where’d that university you go?

Recall the you from last week. Are you the exact same person physically, mentally, and emotionally? Do you have the exact same knowledge and experience? How about the you from an hour ago? Will you not be reborn after reading this post? Will you not wake up tomorrow to the very first day of a brand new life?

How many lives do you really have?

How many lives does a river have?

Which seeds are you watering? A good gardener knows when and how to water the seeds of their fruits and vegetables. You are also a gardener. You have within you all the seeds: seeds of envy, seeds of joy, seeds of greed, seeds of love, seeds of ambition, seeds of contentment. The question is: which seeds are you watering? When I watch the news I find that my seeds of negativity, hate, and...

Run. Run faster. You’re almost 40 and you haven’t achieved enough. Everyone running this race is ahead of you. Look to the left – that woman has more money. She has a bigger job. She owns two properties. Look to your right – that man has published three books and started two businesses. He has his own podcast. I heard he’s worth $12 million, and he’s only 35...

I recently walked past a man sitting on the side of the street talking to himself. He was speaking loudly, with great emotion, and every few sentences the topic of his soliloquy seemed to change dramatically. In one moment, he seemed to be ranting about a woman: “And who does she think she is?! You don’t talk to me like that! Don’t you ever dare talk to me like that!” In...

Unsupervised, children will get into trouble. Breaking dishes, muddying the carpet, drawing on the furniture — you name it. But put a parent or teacher in the room, and they’re much more likely to behave. The simple process of being OBSERVED leads to children behaving better. Same goes with our own minds. Unsupervised, our minds will run rampant. Ruminating, stressing, judging, catastrophizing —...

The “One Life” Myth

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