3 things I learned while my plane crashed

Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary.

Well, I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D. I was the only one who could talk to the flight attendants. So I looked at them right away, and they said, "No problem. We probably hit some birds." The pilot had already turned the plane around, and we weren't that far. You could see Manhattan. Two minutes later, three things happened at the same time.

The pilot lines up the plane with the Hudson River. That's usually not the route.

He turns off the engines. Now, imagine being in a plane with no sound. And then he says three words. The most unemotional three words I've ever heard. He says, "Brace for impact." I didn't have to talk to the flight attendant anymore.

I could see in her eyes, it was terror. Life was over.

Now I want to share with you three things I learned about myself that day. I learned that it all changes in an instant. We have this bucket list, we have these things we want to do in life, and I thought about all the people I wanted to reach out to that I didn't, all the fences I wanted to mend, all the experiences I wanted to have and I never did. As I thought about that later on, I came up with a saying, which is, "I collect bad wines." Because if the wine is ready and the person is there, I'm opening it. I no longer want to postpone anything in life. And that urgency, that purpose, has really changed my life.

The second thing I learned that day -- and this is as we clear the George Washington Bridge, which was by not a lot --

I thought about, wow, I really feel one real regret. I've lived a good life. In my own humanity and mistakes, I've tried to get better at everything I tried. But in my humanity, I also allow my ego to get in. And I regretted the time I wasted on things that did not matter with people that matter. And I thought about my relationship with my wife, with my friends, with people. And after, as I reflected on that, I decided to eliminate negative energy from my life. It's not perfect, but it's a lot better. I've not had a fight with my wife in two years. It feels great. I no longer try to be right; I choose to be happy.

The third thing I learned -- and this is as your mental clock starts going, "15, 14, 13." You can see the water coming. I'm saying, "Please blow up." I don't want this thing to break in 20 pieces like you've seen in those documentaries. And as we're coming down, I had a sense of, wow, dying is not scary. It's almost like we've been preparing for it our whole lives. But it was very sad. I didn't want to go; I love my life. And that sadness really framed in one thought, which is, I only wish for one thing. I only wish I could see my kids grow up. About a month later, I was at a performance by my daughter -- first-grader, not much artistic talent --

Yet!

And I'm bawling, I'm crying, like a little kid. And it made all the sense in the world to me. I realized at that point, by connecting those two dots, that the only thing that matters in my life is being a great dad. Above all, above all, the only goal I have in life is to be a good dad.

I was given the gift of a miracle, of not dying that day. I was given another gift, which was to be able to see into the future and come back and live differently. I challenge you guys that are flying today, imagine the same thing happens on your plane -- and please don't -- but imagine, and how would you change? What would you get done that you're waiting to get done because you think you'll be here forever? How would you change your relationships and the negative energy in them? And more than anything, are you being the best parent you can?

Thank you. (Applause)

想像一個大爆炸?當你在三千多呎的高空?想像機艙內布滿黑煙?想像引擎發(fā)出喀啦，喀啦，?喀啦，喀啦，喀啦的聲響?這聲響很可怕?那天我的位置很特別，我坐在1D?我是唯一可以和空服員說話的人?于是我看著他們?他們說“沒問題，我們應該只是撞上鳥了?！?機長已經把機頭轉向?我們離目的地很近?已經可以看到曼哈頓了?兩分鐘以后?三件事情同時發(fā)生?機長把飛機對齊哈德遜河?一般的航道可不是這樣?（笑聲）?他關上引擎?想像一臺沒有聲音的飛機?然后他說了幾個字?我聽過最不帶情緒的幾個字?他說“即將迫降，小心沖擊”?我不用再問空服員什么了?（笑聲）?我可以從她的眼神看到恐懼?人生結束了

現在我想和你分享那天我所學到的三件事?瞬間內一切改變了?我們的人生目標清單?那些我們想做的事?所有那些我想連絡卻沒有連絡的人?那些我應該修補的圍墻，人際關系?所有我想要經歷卻沒有經歷的事?之后我回想那些事?我想到一個說法?那就是“我收藏的酒都很差”?因為如果酒已成熟，對象也有，我早就把酒打開了?我不想再把任何事延后?這種急迫的目的性?改變了我的生命

我所學到的第二件事是?正當我們通過喬治華盛頓大橋?那也沒過多久?我想，哇?我只有一件真正后悔的事?雖然我犯了些錯?但我的生命其實不錯?我試著把每件事做得更好?但因為人性?我難免有些自我中心?我后悔竟然花了許多時間?和生命中重要的人?討論那些不重要的事?我想到我和妻子，和朋友?和人們的關系?之后，我回想這件事?我決定除掉我人生中的負面情緒?還沒完全做到，但好多了?過去兩年我從未和妻子吵架?感覺很好?我不再嘗試爭論對錯?我選擇快樂

我所學到的第三件事?當你腦中的時鐘開始倒數?“15，14，13”?看到旁邊的水位開始上升?心想“拜托爆炸吧”?我不想這個東西碎成20片?像紀錄片里那樣?當我們逐漸下沉?我突然感覺到，哇?死并不可怕?就像是我們一直在為此做準備?但很令人悲傷?我不想就這樣離開，我熱愛我的生命?這個悲傷?的主要來源是?我只期待一件事?我希望我能夠看我的孩子長大?一個月以后，我參加女兒的表演 －?她一年級，沒什么藝術天份?????就算如此?（笑聲）?我淚流滿面?像個孩子?讓我的世界重新有了意義?當時我意識到?把這兩個事件連上?其實我生命中唯一重要的事?就是成為一個好父親?比任何事情都重要?我人生中唯一的目標?就是做個好父親.

那天我經歷了一個神跡?我活下來了?同時我得到另一個啟示?像是看見自己的未來?再回來?改變自己的人生?我鼓勵今天要坐飛機的各位?想像若是一樣的事發(fā)生在你身上 －?最好不要 －?但想像，你會如何改變？?有什么是你想做卻沒做的?因為你覺得你會有其它機會做它？?你會如何改變你的人際關系?不再如此負面？?最重要的是，你是否盡力成為一個好的父母？

謝謝各位。