Since the age of 12, Oscar-winning actor Yul Brynner had been a smoker. At times, he smoked five packs of cigarettes a day. At age 63, he was diagnosed with lung cancer.
Knowing that he was going to die soon, as he was interviewed on the “Good Morning America” television show, he said that he would really like to film a commercial that would air after his death. In the commercial, he would look into the camera and say, “Now that I’m gone, I tell you: Don’t smoke. Whatever you do, just don’t smoke.”
After his death, Yul Brynner’s last wish was granted. With his widow’s permission, the American Cancer Society took that actual footage from the television interview and created one of the most haunting and effective 30-second announcements in the history of television. The public service announcement opened with simple text on a plain background that read:
Yul Brynner 1920-1985
A solemn voice announced, “Ladies and Gentlemen, the late Yul Brynner.” Then Yul Brynner appeared and seemed to warn all of us from beyond the grave not to follow the same path that he followed in his life.
The impact was profound and immediate. Many people were persuaded by this single TV announcement to begin serious efforts to quit smoking. There were people who never picked up another cigarette after seeing that TV spot (Lerner, 2005).
Coming face-to-face with death, as unpleasant as it may feel, brings a powerful laser-like clarity that can peel away distractions and objections that may have hindered us in the past from making the most important choices in our lives. If you’ve ever experienced the death of someone who was very close to you, you understand how death has a way of bringing into sharp focus what is really important in life. At the time of a loved one’s death, all of the arguments and disagreements we had with them seem so ridiculously trivial. We may be filled with regret as we think of the silly distractions that kept us from sharing precious time with our loved one. We may cringe as we remember careless, insensitive words that were said. And now that they are gone, it’s too late to change any of that.
As unpleasant as these thoughts can be, they can also be powerful tools to motivate us to clarify our goals and priorities in life, and to make needed changes while we still have time!
Stephen Covey recommended that we “begin with the end in mind” (Covey, 2004). In other words, start by thinking about where you want to be at the end of your journey. Use that to help you set your goals and plot your course though life.
References:
Covey, S. R. (2004). The 7 habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in personal change. New York: Free Press.
GloopTrekker. (2010, April 30). Yul Brynner “Don’t Smoke” commercial - 1989. Retrieved November 16, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxgaAn6IR9E
Lerner, B. H., & D., M. (2005, January 25). In Unforgettable Final Act, a King Got Revenge on His Killers. Retrieved October 17, 2018, from https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/25/health/in-unforgettable-final-act-a-king-got-revenge-on-his-killers.html
