How does the lifespan on the main sequence for a star destined to become a Red Supergiant compare to the Sun's?
Answer
It is vastly shorter, measured in mere millions of years.
Stars that become Red Supergiants are significantly more massive than the Sun (greater than $8 M_\odot$). Because of their enormous mass, the internal pressures and temperatures are much higher, causing them to consume their core hydrogen fuel at a ferocious rate. Consequently, their main sequence existence is drastically abbreviated, lasting only a few million years. In direct contrast, the Sun, being an intermediate-mass star, has a main sequence life estimated to last for billions of years.
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