“Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.”
~ James Dean

I suppose James Dean did this. And while I also suppose I don’t want to (or want any of you to) die young as he did, there is a sense of seizing the day, and the moment, inherent in his words that we all can, perhaps, learn from.

If I’m dreaming as if I’ll live forever, then I’m not ever giving up. Not ever. I’m not letting time, circumstances, myself, others, my age – anything – get in the way of my dreams and goals. I’m believing that there’s always the chance that I can have what I want. I’m not walking away. I’m allowing myself to stay optimistic and maybe even inspired or expectant. I’m living as if things could always be better and as if there could always be something to hope for.

If I’m living as if I’ll die today, then I’m also not ever giving up. I’m living – and hopefully appreciating and enjoying – every day, every moment, as if it could be my last. And also living as if today might be my last chance to achieve my dreams, my only chance to go for it. So I’m most likely going for it. Giving it all I have and doing what’s in front of me – or perhaps whatever I can think of – to get closer to my dreams.

I’m seizing the day and my life, and squeezing all I can out of it. Which is, perhaps, an amazing way to live and to lead.

Let’s all share how we want to live and lead. Click here to share.

If you enjoyed this post, you can read more like it in our book, The Power of Thoughtful Leadership: 101 Minutes To Being the Leader You Want To Be, available on Amazon.


For support in dreaming…and living…and leading…, contact Lisa at lkohn@chatsworthconsulting.com.

Click here to receive The Thoughtful Leaders™ Blog posts via e-mail and receive a copy of “Ending Leadership Frenzy: 5 Steps to Becoming a More Thoughtful and Effective Leader.”

Photo Credit: Wavebreak Media Ltd/Bigstock.com

New York: 212.537.6897 | Pennsylvania: 610.254.0244