Tomorrow Will Kill You...

Nobody has ever lived their lives anywhere but the present. The past has happened already, and the future is not here yet. Hence, you are living in the present, where you have the possibility of the moment of choice and the moment of action. The present is always in the now.

Back in November, I had my dear friend Dave Clark present at a company meeting. Dave and I first met and became fast friends when he crewed for my team during RAAM (Race Across America) in 2012. Dave was genuine, authentic and full of love and gratitude. We were both drawn to each other as a result of those common traits. Dave was an author, endurance runner, ultracyclist and world-renowned coach, with all of his notable successes coming after a very difficult childhood and a significant and severe battle with personal demons and severe addiction (alcohol and substance abuse).

Dave built a successful company during his 20s. (It subsequently became Denver Mattress.) He married, had two kids and lived in an upscale suburban neighborhood. Everything seemed perfect from the outside. Slowly but surely, Dave was being eaten alive by his inner demons. He spent his days chasing his next goal, focused on the future instead of the present. At 32, Dave found himself morbidly obese, addicted to opioids and alcohol, and was told by his doctor he could have a stroke any minute and drop dead as a result of his heart condition, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and two herniated disks. This situation persisted until one day when Dave decided to change his life for the better. In that moment, Dave decided to live every day to its fullest. He started slowly, hardly able to walk a mile. But, ultimately, Dave became one of the top ultramarathon runners in the country. As a result of his remarkable journey and transformative change, he also became a coveted motivational speaker and coach.

When Dave presented at DMS, he shared his message of positivity, passion and presence. I also vividly remember him saying, “Tomorrow will f***ing kill you.” Six months later, as a result of complications during back surgery, Dave passed away at the age of 49. I still have not had time to process this devastating news. Dave’s text messages are still fresh in my phone. “Checking on you, love you bro” were typical from Dave. I will miss my friend. 

Dave’s story is a reminder that every moment spent stressing about the past or worrying about the future is a moment wasted. Every individual has unlimited potential, but you won’t achieve that potential by chasing the future. You achieve greatness by staying engaged with the current moment and capitalizing on the present. 

With Dave in mind, I encourage you each to take each month day by day, maximizing each moment and turning those collective moments into a success so magnificent you could not have imagined it prior.