The amount of time we have on this Earth is an enigma to which there is no solution. While some put their hope in the religions of Silicon Valley who suggest their research will “solve” death, we must live with what we have.

Based on lifestyle and genetics, I’ll be fortunate to break the eighty-year mark in my life. I’m doing my best to make it there, and beyond, in as healthy a position as possible.

For now, every year I have is something to celebrate.

However, I would  be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that I’m almost at the “halfway point” and feel I’ve wasted three decades. They weren’t wasted on adventures, false starts, bad decisions or any of those “If I could go back” thought experiments (on that note, I really wish I hadn’t been so damn lazy growing up), but on the following:

Caring too much what others think of me.

Friends, co-workers, general public–you name it. Rather than work hard at being the best person I can, for what and who I am, many of my actions were guided by the perception of others. It caused unneeded anxiety, stress and feelings of emotional collapse at the thought I would never measure up.

Then I came across the following quote attributed to Winston Churchill:

When you’re 20 you care what everyone thinks, when you’re 40 you stop caring what everyone thinks, when you’re 60 you realize no one was ever thinking about you in the first place. You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.

I was slowly entering into that forty mentality, only to realize there was yet another milestone along the way. And it all made sense.

Gossip lasts a short amount of time. Just see what the big story on the Internet is today and realize it’ll be replaced in a few days to get a good understanding of the life cycle of what people are thinking.

People have their own lives to worry about and my wasted time was in not realizing I should worry about mine. Trying too hard to impress others will always come across as trying too hard.

Authenticity will always impress the people you need.