The Rule Of Limited Time
In Marketing 101, marketers learn some fundamental rules of marketing. One of these rules is “The Rule of Limited Time”. The rule of limited time simply states that customers will act when they perceive that the advertised value is only available for a limited time. We see this law used all of the time in advertising, be it flyers, radio, TV, etc. The ad usually goes like this “3 Day sale, Buy Now”, “Limited Time Offer” or “Midnight Madness Sale, One Day Only”. Consumers respond to this type of advertising for one primary reason, they believe there is an implied value because of the limited time that it is available. It works, everyday, all day!
This morning on Good Morning America they had a feature story on Randy Pausch, who has pancreatic cancer, incurable and he has been told he has about two months to live. This gentleman is handling this news in a most positive way. He is married with three little children. He is now focused on leaving them his legacy, ensuring that they have visceral memories of him, backed up with video and photographs. He is also giving motivational speeches at the University where he teaches. He is inspiring many people and leaving his unique, life-affirming fingerprint on everyone he touches.
He is operating on the rule of limited time. He now perceives more value because He truly knows that he has limited time in this form and he is now doing everything possible to utilize that time in a way that will help himself, his family and as many other people have a more positive, enriching journey and also have positive memories of him. This in itself is wonderful and I applaud the attitude, which he has incorporated in how he is handling the news that he has a very short amount of time in his current form.
The interesting thing to me is that he is doing what many people do when they have been told they have a short time to live, they have a metamorphous of sorts, they change their immediate life, they have a new found appreciation for life and strive to do compact many efforts into the time they have left.
Interestingly enough we all have “limited time” to live in this form. The difference with someone in Randy Pausch’s situation is that he has a specific expiration date if you will, while the rest of us don’t know specifically how long we have here. Some of us may have 40 or 60 years, while others may have months, weeks, days or maybe even hours before this human existence will end. Fact is, we don’t know. What we do know, is that we won’t live in this form forever. We all have an expiration date. We all are here for a limited time!
Knowing that we have a limited time, though not specific, does not have the same affect as someone who has been given a definite time limit. Interesting isn’t it, how we take for granted that we have what seems to be an indefinite amount of time to live this life, even though logically we know that everyday we live is one day closer to end of our time in this form.
We do not have to wait for some catastrophic life event to awaken and realize how precious each moment we have is. We can choose at any moment to increase are awareness, have an awakening and be the person whom we intend to be. We can choose today to be a conduit of love, kindness and positive energy, which illuminates this world. It is up to us, it is a decision.
How would you change your life if you knew that this time next year you would no longer be in this form that your physical being would die? What would you do? How would you act? How would your interaction with other people? What would your last year in human form be like?
Once you have gave some serious thought to this, then you have to ask yourself, “What am I waiting for”.
Remember, you do have a limited time to live this opportunity we call life.
Act now, don’t wait! Limited Time Offer!
A perspective I’ve had all along, although have fallen into the many levels of traps society has given us………each and every day can be our last, and to treat it as such, seems like the best way to put our time to good use! ; )
Mark,
Clever post. Speaks volumes. Time is of the essence for everything in life. We have to live well and love long.
Life is what happens when you’re busy making plans. Don’t sweat this stuff. Marketing is bad advice for living.
Hi Mark…
Very nice article!
I actually had a time in my life with a life threatening situation and faced the reality of maybe not being here much more than a few months.
Like others, it gave me a sense of wanting to bring those close to me even closer, to love more deeply, to care more passionately, and to live more fully.
For me however, my physical situaton did not allow me to do much so I was limited.
MUCH better to do all those things that are important while we can!
Thankfully I was lucky and recovered fully, but we never know…
Thank you for this reminder Mark…
Blessings to you,
Jen
Dear Mark,
What you say here is so very true. There is a buddhist story about a parrot which sits on your shoulder. Every day he asks you one question “Is today the day?” . “Is today the day you will die?” – Its a reminder to never take a moment for granted. To savour this precious, beautiful gift of life.
Thank you for this beautiful post, For helping me remember.
With love and light, Maithri
Wow – a couple of things… I actually bought a trench coat today that I had looked at a few weeks ago and HAD TO HAVE TODAY because last weekend when I was in Chicago, I discovered it not-in-stock at the store on Michigan Ave. I know you may be amused at my honesty here – that I totally caved in to marketing and the idea that it may not be in the stores tomorrow… But I like it… AND, secondly, I have heard of the gentleman you mention and was quite moved by his attitude. I am amazed at how timely your posts are to where I am. Thank you.
Good Wednesday evening to you, Mark !
I can happily say that I wouldn’t change a thing ! I do things NOW, and don’t put them off. Not in personal interactions – like telling people what I love about them – or in life’s responsibilities…
Loving Annie
Mark,
I think people put things off because the very thought that we would only have a year is something we do not believe and also because fear plays a role. If we say to ourselves that we have a year, then we have to believe it and then acknowledge that we may have failed others in our lives.
We also have to acknowledge that we let love go or somemthing precious because of our own stupidity. i fear rejection and because of the fear I do not completely express how I feel about a certain person. Even the thought of having only year is not quite as scary as me picking up the phone and saying, “I love you”. Now, this is not the case with my children, but it would cause me to not mention my feelings because I would wonder what I had to offer a person and how fair would it be of me to offer my heart to them knowing they would be without it in a year. The pain that person would go through would be heart breaking to them and me.
If someone were to ask how I felt I would tell them. But what kind of person would it make me to knowing hurt another?
Wonderful Post Mark… quite thought provoking. Busy?
Softest love,
Tara
I think it’s easy for people to say what they might do until they are actually in a situation where death is fairly imminent. It really does change the ways we see things and the things that we do.
Before having this cancer I might have responded that I was living life to the fullest and knew that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed for any of us but the reality did change for me in big huge ways I’d never considered.
It’s very different.
Thanks.
~ RS~
Hi Mark,
I love that you used “limited time offer” to describe this life. Not many people want to think about death. They avoid the topic and thus they have the illusion that they still have alot of time! Great reminder!
Take care.
This is a great post. Time itself is a perception and how we sense is grounded in our state of mind. The example here reminds us how some people will transform their mindset when they suddenly decide that time is of the essence. Yet, why does it take a live-threat or a close call to cause people to rethink what they see and how? A similar effect is experienced by people who genuinely desire to turn their lives around for the better. They also make a conscious choice to “make the most of their time.” To recognize what influences your perception or not can be very enlightening. What you value may be on the came level as your consciousness. How you perceive time influences how and where you spend it.
Coffee Messiah,
Yes, it is very easy to fall into complacency and believe the illusion that our time in this form is unlimited. We all need to develop an awareness that prevents us from falling into these traps.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Alexys,
As we live in the now, then we are truly living in real time! Thanks for your thoughts.
Whig,
I have always liked this quote, for it is so true for so many.
The rest of your comment is somewhat cryptic, would you care to ellaborate? Thanks for your thoughts.
Jen,
We never do know and that is the point. Live in the now, live fully, love fully, that is the key! Thanks for your thoughts.
Maithri,
I was not aware of the parrot story, thank-you for sharing! Glad that this writing helped you to remember. Thanks for your thoughts and kind words.
Curious C,
Enjoy your coat! There is nothing wrong with treating ourselves well! Most of us don’t do this enough. Thanks for your thoughts.
Annie,
You are at a wonderful place in your path! I believe you are on the cusps of even greater things! Keep going! Thanks for your thoughts.
Tara,
To love and to be loved if only for a short time is better than to never have expressed that love. I understand your fear of hurting someone else or opening yourself up to possibly be hurt, however when you love, there is no time limit, there is no fear.
I agree that most people will not imagine this possibilty because the fear of death is so great. You have inspired me for a possible post, thank-you and thank-you for your thoughts.
Ruby,
I am sure that you are right, we cannot anticipate how we will change. The key is to try to develop that awareness as much as we can and not become complacent in our daily life. Thanks for your thoughts.
Lifereflection,
Thank-you! I agree, most people do not want to face the fact that our human form has an expiration date. Thanks for your thoughts.
Liara,
Excellent thoughts. Yes, it boils down to how we preceive time and that drives how we use it. Thanks for your thoughts.
Brilliant…another thought provoker…
With all we discuss in words, with all we write on paper, with all the knowledge we share together, would it not be clearer?
Here in this virtual place we are free, we focus and learn from one another, then Life sets in, you know what I mean?
Time is short…Live long
Enreal,
You are so very kind, thank-you.
Life sets in because we expect and allow it to. We can live a very aware life and still do all that we need to.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Hi Mark,
Great post! This is an idea I’ve often thought of and sometimes struggled with. If I knew that I had some short, definite time to live (6 months, 1 year, 2 years… even 10 years!!), much of what I’m doing would change.
In fact, MOST of what I’m doing would change — even if that expiration date was 10 years in the future. I think I’m where I am now (at least in some ways) because I was I didn’t know how to deal with the idea of 5, 10, 15 years in the future. I was over 25 before long-term meant anything beyond 1 or 2 years. Too much could change I said. Life is fluid and unpredictable and meant for change!
Some things that would change, I can do now, and have begun to start — but most of my goals can only reasonably be pursued with the expectation that I have many years to work on them, and that I must make sacrifices in the here and now.
As with most of life, it’s a balancing act. But what a fine line to walk!
Interesting post. I’ve actually have had this on my mind of late.
The very first time I had a friend die. I realized how limited our time was here. That anything could end it unexpectedly. So, I started saying I love you, thank you and trying to always express what I thought about someone especially when they had helped me.
Because of this, when I came close to death I was satisfied with what I was leaving behind. I knew my family knew I loved them. There was nothing left unsaid.
Well, luckily I didn’t pass and I find myself here today writing. I haven’t really changed much as what is around me. I try to better my life to the best of my ability. But, what I have changed is reconnecting with my spirituality. It was something that seemed void from my life for so long and I wanted that back.
They say when you come close to dying you awaken from it renewed and refreshed with a new outlook on life. For me it wasn’t the case. I became deeply depressed and feared everything. It took sometime for the ‘realization’ to hit, that I was alive.
Interesting post…. sorry my response is slightly scattered. As I said I”ve been thinking about it for a bit. Haven’t quite completed the thoughts as of yet.
Sibbia,
It is true, life is a balancing act! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Scarletbegonia,
I enjoyed your response. I especially enjoy how you related that your near death experience did not result in an immediate awakening, rather that you went through a depression first. That is very interesting. Why do you think that you went into a depression and why your fears increased? I would love to hear your insight.
Thanks for sharing!
Let me get back to you on that response. Probably later on tonight or tomorrow. I’ll need to refer to a few things before I can really respond. =)
Scarletbegonia,
Sounds good! Looking forward to your response! Thank-you!
Hi, I responded to your questions. Though I’m not sure if it provides valuable insight. It’s rather long so I posted it on my blog.
http://underthewillow.wordpress.com/2007/10/10/response-to-limited-time/
=)