Who Will We Be Before Leaving This Earth?

During long coffee chats, when stories have meandered through every topic from work to current affairs, I often suddenly ask my friends a question: “Who will we be before the day we leave this earth?”

Most of the answers I receive are gentle shakes of the head or dismissive smiles. Many choose to live “day by day,” believing that thinking about the end is something too distant or heavy. Very few actually stop to seriously face that question.

But for me, life took a completely different turn from the moment I began to question myself.

1. Liberation from a Question

I realized that: If we don’t know who we want to become, we will forever remain a pawn in someone else’s plan. Instead of fearing the end, I began to plan so that the day I depart is my happiest day — even if that day were to be tomorrow. This preparation is not pessimistic. On the contrary, it is an intellectual liberation:

When you accept that your time is finite, you stop wasting it on meaningless things.

2. Working 16 Hours in Serenity

Every day, I work 16 hours. It might sound exhausting, but in truth, I work in serenity and deeply enjoy life. When people ask me the secret to maintaining my energy, the answer lies in that very “question.”

• Work is not a burden: When you identify your purpose, work becomes a means to experience and contribute.
• Serenity amidst pressure: The peace I possess amidst high work intensity is thanks to the journey of seeking the answer.

I realized that: The journey of seeking the answer is when we truly live.

Conclusion

The question “who am I” is not actually about finding a title, but about shaping an attitude toward life. And once that attitude is found, 16 hours of work or a lifetime of wandering becomes as light as a stroll.

Ahaalife: A Life Worth Living!