Marcus outlines three key elements of mature character: urgency without anxiety, engagement without attachment, and authenticity without performance. Living as if each day were our last creates appropriate urgency about what matters most, but without the frenzy that comes from panic or desperation. We remain fully engaged with life while accepting that everything is temporary. Most importantly, we drop pretense - the exhausting effort to appear different from who we are - and live with genuine authenticity. This combination creates a powerful way of being: purposeful, present, and real.