Read: Matthew 7:12-14
For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7:14 ESV)
All of us have chosen death at some point in our lives. Often we probably didn't even mean to. Sometimes we actually probably thought we were choosing life.
Jesus taught a few things about life. He taught that he was the way, the truth, and the life. He taught that he came so that those who believed in him and followed him would have abundant life. He also taught that the entry point, the gate, and the path to life were narrow.
What all of that boils down to is this—Jesus is life. When we choose selfishness we choose death. When we choose our own path we choose death. Even with the best of intentions, without choosing Jesus we choose death.
That sounds horrible. It certainly could be. Except that Jesus actually made choosing him a pretty simple thing. It is simply a matter of faith. That means combining belief in Jesus as savior, with trust in Jesus for your future. That is the direction toward the path of life.