About this quote

Pratchett's wit forces you to look at the ordinary as the thing that really counts. He turns the dramatic idea of a last-moment review into a plain observation: what flashes by will be the sum of small choices and small moments. Notice the routines and little scenes you repeat every week, because they build the picture people remember. Ask yourself which everyday scenes you want to keep, and then make one small swap today.

When to use it

• Stuck in yet another late commute, you tell your friend, "If my life flashes by, I swear this train's going to take up a full minute—time to make it less miserable."
• After a minor scare at the clinic, you tell your adult child, "I don't want my flash to be regrets. Let's eat together more often."
• At the office, you turn down weekend overtime and say, "No thanks—my life is going to flash by, and I want weekends in it."
• After hitting the winning shot in a pickup game, you grin and tell your teammates, "That's one scene I'll be happy to see if my life ever flashes by."