Death is of vital importance to life. If we didn’t have a limited time on earth to accomplish things, we could always put it off to tomorrow. Instead, we are aware of the importance of utilizing our opportunities now.
I agree with Frankl on this point but I want to add something from his own conceptualization of uniqueness of the moment. Our attempt to put things off is only a figment of our imagination. Even if we could live forever, doing it at a later time would no longer be auspicious. The conditions for what needs to be done now are now.
Furthermore, Frankl writes, “In general, the leading maxim of existential analysis might be put thus: Live as if you were living for the second time and had acted as wrongly the first time as you are about to act now.” In this imagined situation, says Frankl, we will feel the full gravity of our responsibility, of how every single speech or action on our part shapes what will come next. (p. 64)
If you want to follow Frankl suggestion, how will you determine whether or not the way you are about to act now is “wrongly?”
You determine it by quickly calculating the consequence of your actions.
A critically important tool for imagining consequences is imagining the effect your words or actions will have on another person. That is, knowing this person, including his or her personality, struggles, life situation, past experience and everything you can possibly throw into the mix, what will it be like for her to hear what you are about to say? What will she do or say in response to your words? What will she feel? What will she understand? How will it effect the relationship?
It may require just a slight pause in your response, and it may not be acceptable for prime time TV, but thinking rather than putting your foot in your mouth is worth it in the end.