“Carpe Diem,” the most famous quote from Dead Poets Society means “Seize the Day” in Latin. John Keaton used this in his speech to inspire his students not to live normal lives, but rather to live extraordinary lives.
It is important to remember that our brains first reaction to anything abnormal, remarkable or extraordinary is fear. This part of our brain is intended to protect us and help us survive. So in order to truly seize the day, you have to create awareness around this completely natural tendency, and then tell your brain to take a back seat.
Time is the great equalizer, it is the most valuable resource that any of us have in our short time on earth. The question is how will you spend your time. The only thing that separates us from those that came before and those that will come after are your unique set of relationships and experiences. So will yours be normal or extraordinary? I challenge you to do something every single day that is challenging or extraordinary. And when your brain tries to stop you, politely tell it “Carpe Diem”!