You Must Live Like You are Already Dead
and beg for another chance at life
Richard Branson was once arrested and sent to prison.
But he was only 19 years old.
He didn’t last long in prison because his parents bailed him out. They had to mortgage their home.
Afterward, Richard said that he worked hard and made more conscious decisions that kept him out of prison.
I like his quote on giving a second chance to people.
If you give people a second chance at life, they can do great things.
He is a testament to the power of a second chance in life.
He currently owns the Virgin Group which controls more than 400 companies across different industries.
In the talk, he argued that he hired ex-convicts in Virgin because he believed in the power of second chances.
I resonated with that. When we slip up sometimes in life, we need a second chance. Someone to believe in us.
Some of our best employees in Virgin have been in prison, including myself — Richard Branson
Lance Armstrong, the famous cyclist and more importantly, cancer survivor, has said
‘if you ever get a second chance for something, you’ve got to go all the way.’
The lesson I got from Branson is giving myself and other people a second chance after their mistakes.
Miguel Castillo is a rocket scientist working at NASA.
At age 19, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) which would condemn him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
MS is a disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves.
As he shared his story, Miguel was devastated as he dreamed of being an astronaut. However, his illness stood in the way.
Now, he would be confined to a wheelchair.
One and a half years into his diagnosis with MS, Miguel discovered a secret that helped him overcome his paralysis.
He explained that he was completely MS-free and has been for the last 12 years.
He identified two life-changing habits that helped him overcome MS.
- He eliminated unhealthy fats found in fried foods.
- He began consuming healthier fats such as Omega 3.
Once he got his health back, Miguel was a changed man. He began doing things that made him connect with his very essence.
He became a dance teacher at NASA, where he works as an astronaut. He began connecting more with nature, swimming with sharks, and embracing life in its fullness.
He also learned the art of embracing stillness and experiencing life.
the greatest pandemic in the world is hurry. everything you do will only have meaning when you embrace stillness. stop running from one to another — Miguel Castillo.
I often find myself stuck in the rat race. Jumping from one activity to another and failing to embrace stillness to enjoy what I have at the moment.
Looking at the stories of Richard Branson and Miguel Castillo highlights the importance of a second chance at life.
Branson became more conscious about his success after prison. He went on to create the Virgin Group.
Castillo began venturing fully into the world after getting his health back. He became a rocket scientist at NASA.
However, there is a second thought.
That maybe, we shouldn’t wait for the first chance to get lost before we beg for a second one in our lives, our work, relationships, and everything we do.
A man must live like he is already dead and beg for a second chance at life.
This quote is actually an old wartime Maxim to consider yourself dead at the beginning of the battle so that winning, is you earning your life back.
Perhaps that should be our life philosophy.
Take a step back and reconsider your opportunities in life.
What is it that you are taking for granted?
Are you fully present in your daily activities or you are simply skidding through life?
