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As we all know, death is the inevitable end we all need to face at some point. Different people have different ways of coping with the reality of death. Some chose to ignore or deny it while others fear it. Robert Greene, the author of The Laws of Human Nature and several other best-selling books, has a fairly unique view of death.
According to Robert Greene, death can be used as a tool or reminder to help us reach our goals and deal with setbacks. If you remember that you will eventually leave this planet, you will be less inclined to dwell on problems or give time to pointless things that do not educate, inspire, or make you happy.
So, moving forward, instead of fearing the inevitable end. Use it as motivation to live the best life possible and make good choices. It will help you gain a sense of purpose and reach all of your goals due to the urgency of the situation.
How great leaders used it:
It is rumored that whenever a leader or general in the Ancient Rome empire returned from a huge victory, they would make a slave run behind them and yell “Memento Mori.” Which roughly translates to “Remember that you will die” to instill humility in the general.
And in the biography of Steve Jobs, it is stated that Jobs was ruthless because he knew that he would die young and that he wanted to revolutionize the world before he did. Meaning various great leaders and generals in history used death as a tool for success.
This lesson is from The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene