An investor's career has a finite number of deals. Calculating this number (e.g., 2 deals/year for 20 years = 40 deals) creates a sense of scarcity, encouraging more deliberate investment decisions and greater appreciation for each opportunity.

To instill a bias for action, Chipotle CBO Chris Brandt tells his team the only two days you can't get anything done are 'yesterday or tomorrow.' This powerful framing device reframes procrastination, making 'today' the only logical option for execution and driving a culture of immediate action.

To combat organizational complacency, display a clock counting down the remaining days in your job. When a team member proposes a distant deadline, pointing to "1,765 days left" transforms abstract timelines into tangible urgency, compelling immediate action and a faster pace.

To grasp the long-term impact of your current habits, visualize yourself at your 80th birthday party when your favorite song plays. Can you get up and dance, or are you confined to your chair? This exercise powerfully links today's exercise and nutrition choices directly to your future vitality and quality of life.

Imagine you're 90, in a terrible care home, having become the worst version of yourself. Then, the best version appears, showing the life you could have had. This intense regret can generate the emotional energy needed to make significant life changes in the present.

We procrastinate on important tasks because we implicitly assume we have unlimited time. The practice of "Memento Mori"—remembering that life is short—creates the urgency needed to act. As Marcus Aurelius wrote, "You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think."

Facing the finitude of life can pivot your motivation system. Instead of chasing external rewards like money or status, which seem meaningless in the face of death, you become driven by an intrinsic desire to discover the absolute ceiling of your capabilities.

To make better long-term decisions, annually ask what you will respect in 5-10 years across key life domains (work, family, health). This forward-looking self-judgment, inspired by his parents' end-of-life reflections, creates clarity and urgency to act now, rather than in the "ninth inning" of life.

The shocking realization that, based on age and visit frequency, you may only see your parents a handful more times can be a profound catalyst. This stark calculation of remaining time often prompts significant life changes, such as relocating, to prioritize and maximize crucial family connections before it's too late.