A very interesting principle captured in ancient advice says "If you want to know how to live your life, think about what you want people to say about you after you die and then live backwards."
We all know that some day we are going to die. We can’t get out of this one. But assume that you have lived a long, full and productive life and someone is about to give your eulogy. What are some key words that you would like to be remembered by after you’re gone?
Linda Ellis wrote a poem shortly after a grandmother's death in 1996. You have got to take the time and visit her link at http://www.lindaellisonline.com/dashmovie.htm and see how it applies to who you are becoming. It really takes the concept I have talked about before in these blogs regarding "how you want to be remembered after you die" and ties it all together with that little dash between when you enter this wonderful world and when you exit.
The Linda Ellis poem on how you spent your dash along with the ancient advice of “living your life backwards" are really great ways to get you thinking about how you want to be remembered.
Here's the kicker---there is generally a big gap between how a person wants to be remembered and the reality of how they are living their life. With that said, what would people say about you if today was the day your eulogy was read?
Great post...made me think of the book "Who Will Cry When You Die?" by Robin Sharma...and in terms of filling the 'gap between how a person wants to be remembered and the reality of how they are living their life' I think the following quote by Jim Cathcart might provide some filler: "How would the person I'd like to be...do the things I'm about to do?"
Posted by: Brandon | September 21, 2006 at 07:04 AM