Death is inevitable for all living things. It is strange that despite the inevitability, we must constantly remind ourselves of death. This includes everyone without exception. Regardless of power or position… Ancient philosophers said “memento mori” to those who forgot about this absolute truth. In other words, “remember death, remember that you are mortal…”

I was very impressed when I first read it. According to the historians, the victorious generals of wars in ancient Rome used to wear a crown often made of oak leaves, called corona civica, at the triumph parades in the streets of Rome. Over time, the use of this crown was restricted with emperors only. On this occasion, I learned that the crown of the well-known Roman Emperor Julius Caesar was a corona civica. At the ceremonies, one of the duties of the slaves holding this crown above the victorious and proud generals’ heads was whispering “memento mori” into the ears of the generals. Most probably, the same phrase was whispered into the ear of the future Roman Emperor, the proud and victorious Roman commander Caesar.

Who knows how often Caesar, who accomplished many achievements, conquests and reforms, recalled his death throughout this process. The Roman Republic, borders of which he expanded, became an Empire by the time of his death and continued to grow and expand. Today we travel around the Roman Empire’s memory and remnants spread over three continents.

It is possible to see many similar examples in business life. There is an increasing number of examples of initiatives that have been created with small investments that develop with the right timing and smart strategies, and even “grow prodigiously”. Those who have a share in this success also show up in the business world like a proud Roman general. Among all the applause and praise, it is not hard to be under the illusion that power and glory will last forever. And there is no one whispering them “Remember that you are mortal.”…

However, remembering death does not interfere with living the day. Rather, it reminds us that power, position and everything is transitory. With the hope that it becomes our lifelong instructor and guide: “Memento mori!”

Last week, I met with a group of young students interested in some cultural differences I have observed in Turkey. The first thing that came to my mind during the meeting was the tolerance level of the people in our country when they need something to be done. In our community, generally, the more personal a topic is, the more “urgent” it is. As we are a society that is fond of getting quick results, this situation may be considered to be “favorable”, but this approach also has a risk of “not spending time for details and not paying close attention to them”.

A quick solution and shortcuts may be more attractive, but on the other hand, extemporary actions can compromise the quality of our daily lives. In addition, it brings along a situation that damages our sense of personal justice. The fact that people who prefer “shortcuts” and hinder us in our daily lives naturally make us nervous and our adrenaline levels increase dramatically. Experts say that, from a medical point of view, this situation blocks the “prefrontal cortex” (forebrain) area of our brain, and this has some consequences. For example, we think more slowly and as a result we may exhibit emotional responses and reflexes. I wonder, does this sound familiar to you in your personal experience?