256 Jodi Wellman on the Mortality Math That Puts Your Life in Perspective

THE SHOW

Most of us are running on autopilot, checking boxes, chasing goals, and pushing toward some imagined finish line without stopping to ask if this is how we really want to spend our lives.

In this conversation, Jodi Wellman, author of You Only Die Once and founder of the 4,000 Mondays framework, makes the case for using mortality as a tool, not a threat. She shares why contemplating the end of life can snap us out of numb routines and guide us toward choices that create more vitality, meaning, and joy right now.

We talk about why achievement can feel hollow, how to spot the “dead zones” in your life, and the surprising power of small changes to make life feel bigger. Whether you have been wondering if there is more to life than your to do list or you just want to feel more alive in your everyday routines, this conversation is a reminder that your Mondays are numbered so make them count.

Behind her brilliance: Love and the Grim Reaper 

 

TOPICS COVERED

·  Mortality as Motivation: Facing the reality of death as a way to live more fully, not morbidly.

·  4,000 Mondays Concept: Using your finite number of Mondays as a framing device to clarify what matters.

·  Vitality + Meaning = Fulfillment: Living wider (fun, novelty, aliveness) and deeper (purpose, connection).

·  The Hedonic Treadmill: The idea that high achievers constantly move the goalpost and lose perspective on satisfaction.

·  Experimentation as a Way of Life: “You don’t have to detonate, you can dabble.”

·  Regret Minimization Framework: Inspired by Jeff Bezos and reframed here as: “What would you regret not doing?”

·  Role of Rituals and Values: Structuring life around recurring rituals and clearly defined personal values.

·  Self-Compassion and Inner Talk: The importance of being kind to yourself in the pursuit of growth.

·  Redefining Success and Retirement: Moving from performance-based identities to interest-based living.

·  Comparison and Individual Journeys: Why your life design has to be uniquely yours, and how social media distorts that.