4000 Weeks

This is the title of Oliver Burkeman’s new book, and the topic is exactly what it says it is. An average human lifespan is roughly 4000 weeks, and this can come as a surprise for many. 4000 weeks is not a long time, and if you’re 40 years old, then you’ve already spent 2000 of them.

One of the purposes of the book is to be a counterbalance to many of the self-help books that are popular nowadays. These focus on how to maximize your output, get fit, earn more money, get the best morning routine, etc.  

We have written about similar topics on this blog on many occasions, but we have also talked a lot about the bigger perspectives in life. This blog is in many ways the outcome of a cardiac arrest combined with a global pandemic—both of which are catalysts for self-reflection and some serious contemplation about the important things in life. 

We think that 4000 weeks is an important book because it raises awareness about the shortness of our existence, but we don’t see the optimization of daily routines and the value of our short lives as a dichotomy. Rather we see the realization of our temporality, and the acceptance of our death, as a backdrop upon which all other stuff is projected.

The realization that you only have 4000 weeks to fulfill all the stuff that you want to do can be a scary and unpleasant thought, but if you contemplate this notion for awhile, it can be a liberating realization as well. You will not live forever, and soon, very soon, you and all the people that ever knew you will be gone—and your name will have faded from history like tears in the rain.

There’s no way that you’ll get around to doing all the things that you dream of, or plan on doing, but this notion can empower you to shed some of the dead weight you’ve been carrying around. You can only do so many things in a day and realizing this can give you some focus—and provide the mental clarity to focus on the stuff that matters.

Many coaches and coffee talkers will tell you, that you can do it all if you just have enough discipline or the right morning routine. We are here to tell you, that this is not true. Life is shockingly short, but you can achieve many things if you want to, but you’ll have to choose what is important to you.

Figure out what you want in life, focus on what matters, and appreciate each day for the little miracle that it is. 

Until next time

Scott and Lennart