💡What Death Teaches Us About Life

Exploring the ruins of an ancient Roman city taught me 3 universal truths about life, health, and purpose.

As we walked through a 1st-century BC bathhouse the tour guide explained:

The citizens would come here to relax, socialize, and wrestle or play sports after a long day.

Over there you can see frescoes of Dionysius, the god of wine and festivities.

And on this side, there’s a statue of Jupiter, the main god to whom they would make sacrifices.

The ruins of Pompeii, Italy were frozen in time in 79 AD after a volcanic eruption buried it in ash for 18 centuries. It is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world.

The guide continued:

People here went to gladiator matches, ate at restaurants, worshiped their favorite gods, and traded goods in the Forum.

From writings and artifacts, we know Pompeiians had a strong connection to their religion and to the glory of the Roman Republic.

And that graffiti on the wall there, that was someone sharing a political opinion

When the tour ended Michelle said exactly what was on my mind too.

These guys were not at all that different from us.

Life is a Cycle

Pompeii was once an Oscan village.

It then grew into a thriving Roman city.

Then, a mound of ash covered in grass and trees.

Today, millions of tourists a year walk down the same streets.

This evolution was so inspiring to me, and as always, I sought the lesson that this incredible place was meant to teach me.

Then it came, all of life is a cycle.

Like the seasons of the year - summer (growth), autumn (reaping), winter (destruction), and spring (rebirth/evolution) - Pompeii followed the same cycle.

Your business follows this cycle: it grows, then provides, then it will face those breaking points where it must either evolve or die.

Families follow this cycle from generation to generation.

So, too, does our life and legacy.

Without the growth we have no reaping. Without destruction, we have no space for rebirth or evolution. All seasons play their part.

My key takeaway → there are no “bad” seasons, we must embrace and appreciate the cycles, not fight against them.

Health is Simple

While the average age of people in this era was around 35 years, many records share lifespans of people living healthy up to 75-80 years.

(For the data nerds who want to dig more into average age vs lifespan, read more here)

Now I know what you’re thinking.

How did the Pompeiians live healthy lives 2000 years ago without impossible vegan burgers, spirulina powder supplements, and Peloton cycling classes from their living room?

I was thinking the same thing!

Answer: they followed three simple rules of health.

1. Social Connection - Pompeiians didn’t have living rooms, they gathered in bathhouses and plazas to vent, laugh, teach, and share with each other.

2. Movement - Pompeiians walked everywhere. Exercise happened from carrying amphorae of water home from the fountain, working, or sports with friends.

3. Higher Purpose - Pompeiians served their gods and their republic. They found purpose beyond themselves that inspired them to study, build, paint, sculpt, and conquer.

My key takeaway → Health isn’t complicated. There are many ways to be healthy, but these three are a great place to start.

Highlights Are All That Last

Ok, time for a subtle reminder of your mortality.

Like the Pompeiians and every human that has lived, we will all end up as ash and dust.

Such a pleasant thought to find in your inbox, right?

The Pompeiians didn’t know what their end would be.

All that we know of them now is what they devoted their lives to:

• Spending time with friends

• Playing and watching sports

• Serving their gods and community

• Mastering their work and craft

• Raising their children

What we will never know about them is:

• If they felt bad for failing at something

• The ideas they never executed

• Feeling fear before they tried something new

• The grudges they held

This, my friend, a lens through which we can view our own life:

What will actually matter in 5, 25, or 2000 years from now?

What are the main priorities my life deserves, and how can I stay focused on those?

How do I want to be remembered?

My key takeaway → To know what matters most is to live well. To devote your life to them is to die well.

The Bottom Line

We cannot escape the cycle of life. All we can do is live healthy and do things that matter to us, everything else is secondary.

Reminding ourselves of the inevitability of death doesn’t have to be sad, it can be an inspiring call to action.

My challenge for you this week is to be an archeologist. The year is 2500 AD and you’re discovering this person called you.

• What were the cycles of their life like?

• What did they do to live a healthy life?

• What were the highlights, to what greater purposes did they devote their life to?

(Spend at least 10 minutes journaling)

That’s all for now my fellow adventurer.

If you find these stories fun and inspiring, share this newsletter with a friend. One of my life highlights is adventure, and I hope these stories are discovered by archeologists in the year 2500 🧐

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Complementary Call

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Recommended Video

Stoicism expert Ryan Holiday shares in 5 minutes the concept of Memento Mori, and how thinking of death leads to a better life —> Video

📢 The next issue will arrive from Porto, Portugal! As always, I will share stories and ideas so that you can use the power of adventure to defeat your fears and achieve your dreams.

Keep living your Great Adventure.

Jim Wall