Life Experiences & Observations

Sit Down, Buckle Up, Hang On, and Enjoy My Blog Ride

Tag: Steve Jobs

October 6, 2016

I Once Answered “Death” to an Interview Question

000-interviewThis story I am about to tell happened a long time ago when I was returning back to Arizona after finishing college. What got me thinking about this story is the article “The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying.” It’s an article I read a few times a year just to help me put things in perspective. Who in their right mind would answer “death” to an interview question? Perhaps somebody who doesn’t want the job. Well, the answer is ME and I DID want the job. I obviously didn’t have much interview experience at the time as I thought being as honest as possible was more important than painting a picture that made me look like the most desirable candidate. In hindsight, sometimes both may coincide. In this case, they coincided pretty closely but not close enough to get me the job.

So what was the question? The question was, “What motivates you?” Back then, and even now, death has been one of the best motivators for me. As a result, I can officially say I have one thing in common with Steve Jobs. Yeah ME!! It may sound morbid but when you dig deeper it really makes a lot of sense. Knowledge that life is short and the time you spend on earth is uncertain, can definitely get you up and moving to make progress on your goals. That’s all I really wanted to say today. Another blog post in the books. Now go do something because you will never know when that day comes in which you can’t “go do something.”

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April 26, 2014

Life Appreciation Elixir – 15 Movies to Motivate

0000000000000 MoviesIn times of struggle and hardship I tend to gravitate to watching movies about death which inspire me to cherish life. For most people that are going through tough times, they try to avoid any items or things that remind them of negativity. That’s just not me. One time in an interview for a position at the Multiple Sclerosis Society, I was asked “What is the one thing that motivates you the most?” My answer, which I was hesitant to reveal, was death. They admitted to me right then and there that it was the most profound answer they had ever heard. I am not trying to brag, its just what happened and shows the true motivating factor that death can provide.  Just ask the departed Steve Jobs.

Last night after waking up from my early evening nap, I decided to finish watching the movie “The Bucket List.” I had started it earlier in the day and really wanted to finish it despite it being 27 minutes past midnight. Of course I first had to finish my blog which had me admitting failure of accomplishing my April blog-a-thon goal.  I have seen the move multiple times and to this day it is one of my favorites and always seems to make me cry. I cling to this movie in the face of troubled times like a security blanket. Below is a list of 15 of my favorite movies I like to watch when I need a little does of life appreciation elixir.

  1. Beaches
  2. American Beauty
  3. The Bucket List
  4. Schindler’s List
  5. The Doctor
  6. Mr. Holland’s Opus
  7. The Pursuit of Happyness
  8. Dead Poet’s Society
  9. The Shawshank Redemption
  10. Good Will Hunting
  11. My Life
  12. Grand Canyon
  13. Pay it Forward
  14. Rudy
  15. Life is Beautiful

I could include links or descriptions for the movies above but if you have not already heard of them you are just going to have to discover them for yourself.  After all, isn’t that why they invented Google?  So next time you having difficulty appreciating the preciousness of life, trying watching one of the movies above.  It may just light a flame of motivation underneath your ass.  What are you still reading for?  Life is short, stop reading and start doing!

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