The Pause that Refreshes

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. (Mahatma Gandhi)

"Two weeks ago while on family vacation in Colorado, a well-known philanthropic business executive named Tom Murphy (age 45) was tragically killed when a boulder fell from a mountain and struck his car. Two days after hearing the news, I found his obituary in the paper," wrote Brian Sullivan in his PRECISE Selling Weekly Motivation.

"As I read it, I was moved by the words used to describe Tom's life. In fact, he did so much good for so many people they needed to use Kansas City's biggest arena, the Sprint Center, to host his funeral. Tom left an enormous footprint.

"As I set down the paper I wondered what my own obituary would say. And though it might seem a bit morbid, I thought it would be a good 'life' exercise to write out my own. At points throughout I wondered if what I was writing was what I HOPED people would say or what they would actually say.

"This 15-minute exercise helped me to quickly think about what is most important. And I realized if there was any doubt about what would be written, NOW is the time to do the things necessary to take that doubt away. Because I have control over the content written after I graduate to the next life."

Brian continues, "So this week, as uncomfortable as it may seem, think about what your obituary would say. Then get to your computer and write it out. This moving exercise will create urgency in you to love more, experience more and to share more of yourself with everyone you meet... a formula Tom Murphy figured out long ago."

(Brian is author of the book, 20 Days to the Top-How the PRECISE Selling Formula Will Make You Your Company's Top Sales Performer in 20 Days or Less. To learn more, go to www.preciseselling.com.)