Hardly anyone thinks about their legacy – the impact of the life they leave behind. The only time most consider someone’s legacy is when they write or read an obituary. In May of 2000, I read an obituary about a friend’s father that left me in awe of the man. There were numerous non-profit organizations he devoted time and money to. The obituary also listed all of his successes. I remember thinking: How could one person do so much in one life? Then, I began to write my obituary. I did not like how it read. I decided to re-write my own obituary, this time with numerous fictitious achievements: self-made millionaire, famous author, dedicated to helping others better their lives, amazing husband and father… My obituary, written, in May of 2000, went on for 3 pages. What’s incredible about that obituary is that, for some reason, I decided to insert “famous author”. I had never before published a book. I was a CPA, perhaps the opposite thing to an author there can be. Yet, there it was, in my fictitious obituary. That obituary planted a seed in my mind that began to grow slowly over time. It took me eight years to write my first book, which went on to become a bestseller. I’ve since written four other books and I am never going to stop. I also helped organize and grow three non-profits over the past seven years.
My obituary is still being written. It is evolving right before my very eyes. And it all began to change because I decided to write a fictitious obituary so many years ago. Despite our incredible advances in technology and science, we still do not yet fully understand the powers of the mind. My make believe obituary set in motion forces within my mind that I still do not fully comprehend.
If you are struggling in life, as I was so many years ago, I suggest you write two obituaries. The first one should depict your current life – what would your obituary say if you died tomorrow? Will it tell the tale of an amazing legacy? Does it depress you? Let your real-life obituary swim in your mind for a few days. Then, re-write it. This time paint a picture with words of a life so incredible that it leaves you in awe of yourself. Somewhere in your make believe obituary, a seed will be planted. That seed will grow inside your mind. In time, your mind, through intuition, will begin to nudge you, direct you, onto certain paths. Paths, you never imagined you would walk. Your made believe obituary will unknowingly act like a GPS, directing you in creating a legacy that will leave you awe of the person you have become.
About Thomas C. Corley
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