Jeopardy

Many, many years ago, I read The Tools - by Phil Stutz and Barry Michels - and ever so often I reflect on the concepts they presented.

One of the principles they presented that stuck with me is that of Jeopardy.

Not the well-known American game show; but going back to the word's traditional interpretation.

The Meaning

If you look in any dictionary, jeopardy is defined in one form or the other as "the danger of loss, harm, or failure".

Your job is in jeopardy.

Your life is in jeopardy.

Your freedom is in jeopardy.

We should all be familiar with this.

The Twist

Phil and Barry framed the idea of jeopardy in an interesting context.

Imagine that you are looking at yourself as you lie peacefully in a bed as you take your last remaining breaths on Earth.

Are there things that you wished you would have done? Skills that you have not used? Passions you have not let surface?

If so, then use this as motivation - to ensure that you maximize every single second - to be the most authentic version of YOU possible.

The idea is that when you are take your last breath, you want to have no regrets. You want to feel complete.

The reality is that we all have a limited another of time in this form; and a lot of gifts and talents.

Jeopardy forces us to look carefully at ourselves and ask "Am I using my gifts and talents effectively?"

Act

Use this feeling of jeopardy to appreciate the urgency of life - the urgency of your decisions, the urgency of what you are doing now, the urgency of what you could be doing.

Use this feeling of jeopardy to ensure that you are doing the best thing possible - right now - that maximizes you and that makes you happy.

The next second could be your last.

What will you tell the YOU standing over yourself as you go?

How many regrets will you have?

On Jeopardy day ......