Live: Authentically. Fully. Usefully.

ByMatthew

When it comes time to die, let us not discover that we have never lived. – Henry David Thoreau

A great way to live while you’re alive (something I love to say and think about… ) is to write your obituary, as you would like it to read.

Write an account of your life that describes the relationships you had and the impact you made. That talks about who you were as much as what you did.

Then, once you have this not-necessarily-morbid wish list, get busy on creating those things for real.

Make your life about what you want it to have been about. (Forgive that somewhat tortured English, I want you to re-read that until you get it… )

At least every year, review your “draft” obituary and make it “read” better and better. Take lessons from what you’ve done and (regularly) re-write the story of life.

Most of all, live while you’re alive.

Similar Posts

Imagination & Reality

ByMatthew

“Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions.” – Albert Einstein Whatever you focus on, with emotional intensity, comes into being. Let’s dissect that a bit: “Whatever you focus on,” the thoughts and images you repeatedly create in your mind; “with emotional intensity,” whether you feel or generate positive or negative emotions around something,…

It’s Okay to Prepare

ByMatthew

Many people are not living the lives they really want (myself* included). One of the reasons people don’t is because they think they should be able to just do it, but they know they aren’t ready. This creates a short little “despair loop” which takes the person out of possibility and back to “reality.” The truth…

What Ideas Must Become

ByMatthew

Ideas must work through the brains and the arms of good and brave men, or they are no better than dreams. – Emerson Ideas are nothing, really, without action. I would put a slightly different twist on Emerson’s words by saying ideas not worked through the minds, hearts and bodies of men are mere fantasies….