Have Fun—Write Your Own Obituary
Posted By Randy Jones on April 10, 2009
This week I was lunching with my friend, communications wizard and former NBC TV anchor Mary Civiello. She had just finished reading the galleys of my forthcoming book, and she said, “I had so much fun writing my obituary as you suggested in your book. I had a ball.” That was not exactly the response that I had expected, but it did make me happy, I must admit. It proved to me that the concept is not as morbid as one might think when first hearing the idea. As I say in the book, it’s daunting to think about what will be said when the curtain comes down on our last act. But it’s a darn good way to plan the rest of your life. It’s a magnificent, exacting lens through which to look at the big decisions in life, especially in times of change or times of uncertainty—say, when you’ve lost your job, or lost half your hard-earned retirement savings. Most would say we’re experiencing just that kind of time right now.
Years ago, when I first attempted this exercise, I stared at a blank sheet of paper for what seemed like hours, and then it suddenly began to flow. I started with the accomplishments of which I am most proud in my life. Then I considered the things for which I am most grateful. This prepared me to give serious thought to what I still wanted to accomplish. I thought about the friendships that I want to nurture, the hopes and dreams that I have for my family, the places in the world that I still want to experience. Immediately, I began to see patterns. I began to see how much work I still have to do. I realized that my life is so much more than my resume and considerably more than my bank account. And I began to formulate an idea of how much wealth it would take for me to have the rich and full life that I envisioned. Try it. Write your own obituary. As odd as it sounds, I predict it will actually make you feel better. It will focus your efforts, force you to take the long view, and it most likely will cause you to change some things in your life. It did for me, and it did for my friend Mary. For more information on how to attempt this fun feat, see Chapter 1 of The Richest Man in Town.
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