The Law of Death Denial
Confront your death on purpose so it fuels a life of urgency and purpose.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~ongoing to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 85%
The Law of Death Denial, which Hala credits to author Robert Greene, holds that most people are scared to confront death and avoid the thought entirely — and that this avoidance costs them urgency. Greene's counsel is to embrace the idea of death so that it motivates a life of purpose and fulfillment. Hala lived it while her father was dying of COVID: she realized life is limitless and that, despite an executive career and a top podcast, she had been playing small relative to her real ambition. Her closing ask is not to wait until you or someone you love is on a deathbed to feel that fire.
Origin
Drawn from Robert Greene (author of The Laws of Human Nature and The 48 Laws of Power), whom Hala interviewed; she experienced it firsthand during the month her father was dying of COVID in 2020, which reignited the 'life is limitless' belief she'd held at 19.
Core principles
- 01Most people avoid thinking about death, which quietly drains urgency from their lives.
- 02Embracing mortality is a motivational tool, not a morbid one.
- 03Awareness that life can end at any moment exposes where you're playing small.
- 04Purpose becomes non-negotiable once you accept the clock is running.
How to run it
- 1
Notice the avoidance
Recognize that, like most people, you probably avoid thinking about death — and that the avoidance is dulling your sense of urgency.
- 2
Deliberately confront mortality
Instead of avoiding it, embrace the idea of your death. Sit with the fact that life can end at any moment, as Hala did watching her father who 'wasn't finished with life.'
Pro tip Let a real, concrete reminder of mortality — not an abstract one — do the work.
Watch out Don't romanticize the pain; the point is the motivation it unlocks, not the suffering itself.
- 3
Expose where you're playing small
Use the urgency to audit your life for the gap between how successful you look and how big you actually want to go.
Pro tip Outward success is exactly where playing-small hides best.
- 4
Redirect the fire into purpose now
Channel the urgency into your genuine purpose immediately rather than deferring it to 'someday.'
Pro tip Name the specific bigger ambition you've been postponing and take the first oversized action this week.
In the wild
While her father was dying of COVID, Hala felt more 'fire in her belly' than ever. She saw that he still had a book to finish and wasn't done with life, which made her confront how suddenly life ends and how small she'd been playing despite a Disney executive role and a top podcast.
→ She reconnected with the limitless mindset of her 19-year-old self and went full-time on her own venture, YAP Media.
Common mistakes
Waiting for a deathbed to feel urgency
Hala's central warning: don't wait until you or someone you love is dying to feel the fire — by then the runway to act on it has largely gone.
Mistaking outward success for a full life
A great job and visible achievements can disguise the fact that you're playing far smaller than your real ambition.
Is it for you?
Best for
High-achievers who look successful outwardly but feel they're playing small.
Not ideal for
People currently in acute grief or trauma who need processing before motivational framing.
From the transcript
“Instead of doing that, you should embrace the idea of death. Think about your death so that it actually motivates you to a life of…”
“My ask to everybody here today is not to wait until you're on your death bed... to feel that fire in your belly and realize…”
From the episode
YAPLive: Hala's Keynote at MIT's 2022 Gathering of Titans Conference
YAPLive