Let’s talk about the six-month perspective practice.
Two or three years ago, I began an annual practice of imagining my ideal last day. I would ask myself: “If today were my last day, what would I do? What would I prioritize? What would matter most?” Versions of this reflection appear in several books. This year, while reading Overcoming Underearning by Barbara Stanny, I came across a related exercise: imagine that you have only six months to live, then create a plan for that time. I call it the six-month perspective.
The subject may sound morbid, but it begins with a reality we all share: every living being will die, and there is no guaranteed age or timeline. Death does not ask whether we are ready, whether we have completed our plans, or whether we have reached our goals. Accepting that truth is not pessimistic. It is what gives the exercise its power.
Death does not ask whether we are ready. Accepting that truth is what gives the exercise its power.
Choose a Specific Date
This year, I approached the exercise differently: I calculated the date exactly six months from the day I began and kept that deadline in mind. Without a fixed date, “six months from now” keeps sliding into the future and loses its meaning. A specific date makes the reflection concrete and reveals what truly deserves your time, energy, attention, and mental space.
For example, if you begin on October 11, 2026, your date is April 11, 2027. Write it down somewhere you will see it.
Focus on What Matters
Many of us wake up replaying negative thoughts: what someone said at work, a meeting we weren’t invited to, or a project that left us out. When you view life through the six-month perspective, those concerns often lose their grip. The exercise narrows your focus to your most valuable resources (time, energy, and attention) and helps you decide what deserves them.
Set aside even 10 minutes each day to sit with the question: “If I had until this date to live, what would matter now?” Use the reflection to:
- Identify what you most want to experience, create, or complete.
- Decide what needs your attention today.
- Plan for the people who depend on you, including children or older parents.
- Release distractions, resentments, and obligations that no longer matter.
- Choose the next practical action that supports the life you want.
Turn the Six-Month Perspective into Daily Practice
Your mind may wander at first but keep going. The point is not to predict or “manifest” death; writing down a date does not make it happen. The point is to understand that life can feel both long and remarkably short, and to live with greater intention because of that awareness.
Notice how much time disappears online while you watch other people live their lives. They are living their reality while you observe it. Meanwhile, what is happening to yours? Reclaim some of that time for your own reflection and direction.
They are living their reality while you observe it. Meanwhile, what is happening to yours?
Begin today. Find the date six months from now and hold it with one simple thought: “This is my last day.” Return to it while driving, working, or doing ordinary tasks. Journaling doesn’t have to mean writing everything down; you can also question yourself silently.
Honest reflection can help you recognize when your current way of living no longer fits, clarify what you want instead, and take more deliberate action toward it.
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Journal Prompts
- What matters most to me now?
- What do I want to do, experience, or dedicate my life to?
- Who do I want to spend my time with?
- Which beliefs or routines no longer fit the life I want?
- What do I want to have, become, or be?
- My six-month date is ______. What is one thing I will do this week because of it?
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With all my love,
Salima
