Be kind. Be better. Be present.

I recently watched a video of Bruce Willis’ family singing happy birthday to him.

He turned 68.?

Must confess to choking back tears as his precious family inspired smiles and a sing-along from him. The once invincible action hero is now visibly frail. He suffers from frontotemporal dementia, a debilitating affliction where ironically loss of speech or language are usually the first symptoms.

Time, once patient as he lit up the silver screen, has finally caught up. There are no traces of John McClane left.

Bruce is vulnerable and human after all.

He is a different kind of star in this beautiful little film that is simply just filled with love. A poignant reminder that time, health, and family are our most precious personal assets. There is no money, or business commitment, or meeting, or startup hustle that can ever compare to the gravity of all three.

How we choose to treat these gifts is up to us.

My late brother did not possess a significant financial balance sheet, but his emotional balance sheet was rich with an abundance of love, kindness, humor, empathy, tolerance, patience, sympathy and gratitude. (And he absolutely loved Bruce Willis and the characters he played).

In business, as in life, we are faced with daily choices. Choices that are so often fueled by ego, self-interest and material things. We tend to pursue the happiness of tomorrow when “I’m richer or I’ve made it”, instead of appreciating the joy of now. The joy that good health, close family, good friends and time well spent creates with inspiring abundance.

However, it does require us to be far more mindful of its implicit value in our lives. And that does require the discipline to make, and keep it in our first set of priorities. No startup grind or salary can ever compensate for the emotional reward that it yields.

Albeit late in my career, I’ve found that objective self-awareness, understanding context and cultivating the discipline to be better, kinder and fully present can turn ordinary moments into lasting memories. These memories are invaluable in times of hardship, grief and anxiety. It sustains and inspires us to survive, to push harder, to carry on and to make better decisions. Most of all it helps us to fill our emotional balance sheet with the stuff that really matters.

Bruce has now completely retired from acting. His legacy will endure and I'll only remember the rich movie memories that he created (not how much money he made as an actor).

As I watch the birthday video again, I am reminded how much my family, my time and my health are worth. Now more than ever.