Writing Your Obituary – Planning Your Life Legacy

What do Aristotle, Alfred Nobel, and Back to the Future’s Doc Brown have in common?

Aristotle gave us the timeless wisdom of finding balance in life (and as Will Durant famously summarized, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit").

Alfred Nobel, didn't die in 1888, but his brother did and the papers reported Nobel's obituary instead.  Disturbed by reading his premature obituary which used words like "merchant of death", changed his life course and established the Nobel Prizes to leave behind a better legacy.

And Doc Brown? Well, after seeing the consequences of his inventions in the future, he was forced to reflect and change the direction of his life to avoid a grim reality (plus, he wanted to keep his buddy Marty from erasing himself from existence).

These three figures, fictional and real, share something in common—they understood the power of reflection and adjusting before it’s too late. If they can do it, so can we. Today, we’re going to talk about one of the best exercises to help with that reflection: writing your own obituary.

Why Write Your Obituary? Aristotle believed in starting with the end in mind. If you want to become the best version of yourself, you have to think about the future – where are you headed? Writing your obituary is an intentional way to reflect on how you want to be remembered and what kind of legacy you’re building. As Batman would say, "It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me." That’s the key here: your habits, choices, and actions today are writing your story.

So, if seeing your obituary worked for Nobel, writing it can work for us. Let’s dive into how to do it.

Writing Your Obituary: A Guide

Personal Values: What values define you today, and what values do you want to be remembered for? If people remember you, is it because you showed up for them like Captain America, or is it because you taught them something important, like Yoda passing on the ways of the Force? What will be at the heart of your story?

Accomplishments: Reflect on your greatest achievements so far and what you still hope to accomplish. Your career, your family, your personal growth—this is your legacy. Think about how Tony Stark's journey started with self-serving goals but eventually ended with him sacrificing himself for the greater good. What do you want people to say about you when all is said and done?

Relationships: Who will be part of your legacy? Family, friends, colleagues, clients? Consider how you’ve built relationships over time and how those connections have impacted others. Are you like Alfred Nobel, making a late-life pivot to better serve the world? Or like Scrooge, transforming how you treated those around you before it’s too late? Maybe you’re like Michelangelo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—always the life of the party and bringing joy to those around you.

Professional Legacy: How will you be remembered in your career? Were you the kind of leader who empowered your team, like Professor X guiding the X-Men? Or were you more like Tony Stark, innovating and pushing boundaries in your field? Whatever your professional legacy, reflect on the ways you've influenced and shaped your industry. It's not just about winning cases or closing deals—it's about the impact you've had on the lives of others -- or maybe it's not to you, that's okay too!

Philanthropy and Service: How important is giving back to you? Like Bruce Wayne funding charities in Gotham, how have you used your resources and skills to make a difference? What causes have mattered most to you, and how do you want those efforts to define your legacy? Giving back doesn’t just make the world better—it becomes part of the story people remember you by.

Health and Well-being: Your approach to health and wellness is a reflection of how you value your life. Maybe it’s about keeping your body and mind in peak shape like Bruce Wayne training to be Batman, or maybe it’s about finding balance through meditation, cold plunges, or intermittent fasting. Whatever your approach, how do you want your health habits to be reflected in your life story?

Hobbies and Interests: What passions and hobbies made your life richer? Whether it’s your love for movies, disc golf (if you're like me), or being the first in line for a Marvel premiere, these interests show your zest for life. Maybe you’ll be remembered for quoting Star Wars or going to Comic-Con dressed as Indiana Jones. These smaller passions are as much a part of your legacy as your big accomplishments. They make you, you.

Humor and Personality: Your personality is a huge part of how people will remember you. Did you bring laughter and levity into the room like Peter Parker cracking jokes mid-fight, or did you have a dry, sarcastic wit like Han Solo? Think about how your quirks, jokes, and personal traits will be remembered and celebrated by those around you. You'll see some of my take in my obit.

Impact on Others: How do you hope to have made a difference in the lives of others? Were you the lawyer who helped people navigate the hardest times in their lives like Matt Murdock (without all the secret vigilante stuff)? Or were you the boss who inspired others to level up their own journeys? Reflect on how you want to be remembered for the impact you've had.

Looking Forward: What haven’t you done yet but feel called to achieve or experience? This exercise isn’t just about what you’ve done—it’s about what’s next. Whether it’s traveling like Indiana Jones, starting a new project, or deepening your connections with loved ones, make sure you’re planning for what’s ahead.

I would then take these answers and either write it out (or give it to chat gpt to write out and then edit it).  And the end you will have something like this.

Conclusion

Aristotle, Nobel, and even fictional characters like Doc Brown and Scrooge show us the importance of starting with the end in mind. Writing your own obituary isn’t about being morbid—it’s about being intentional. Reflect on the legacy you’re building today and how you want to be remembered tomorrow. And if you’re not living up to it yet, well, that’s the beauty of this exercise: you still have time to change your story.

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