Here's what I mean. It's not enough to hit No. 1. You have to stay there. And to me, it's not about the pressure to maintain. It's about where your focus is. If you're a sales manager or top salesperson, you know that you never live in the moment. Your focus is always on next month, next quarter, next year.

But one day we realize we're not enjoying today because we're always thinking about tomorrow. We tell our kids tht we'll go to Disney World after this contest is over or after open enrollment season is done, or after, after, after… There's always another “after.”

I once delivered a claim check to a 46-year-old schoolteacher who'd been diagnosed with cancer. Her policy paid a large sum. She told me she and her husband had planned to take a cruise after she retired but were now using some of the claim money to take the trip before she started chemo. “It dawned on me,” she said, “I might not be here when I retire.” So they went on the cruise and created some memories.

How about we try a new “after” today: After you finish reading this, hop over to Stubhub or Expedia and start making memories instead of excuses. When we bump in to each other in heaven we can compare obituaries and see if we got it right.