I have always been fascinated by the concept of legacy. What will people say about us after we’re gone? What will be our lasting impact on the world? These questions are especially pertinent when it comes to our careers. How will we be remembered in our professional lives?
One way to gain some control over our professional legacy is to write our own obituary. This may sound morbid, but it can actually be a powerful exercise in career management. By thinking about how we want to be remembered and the impact we want to have, we can structure our lives and careers in a way that aligns with those goals.
So, how do we write our own obituary? First, we need to think about our accomplishments. What are the things we want to be remembered for? These could be specific achievements, such as awards or promotions, or more general accomplishments, such as building a successful business or making a meaningful contribution to our field.
Once we have identified our accomplishments, we need to think about our personal qualities. What are the traits that define us as professionals? Are we known for our creativity, our leadership, our analytical skills, or our empathy? These qualities are just as important as our accomplishments in shaping our professional legacy.
With these elements in mind, we can start crafting our obituary. It’s important to be specific and concrete, highlighting our most significant accomplishments and the qualities that set us apart. We should also think about the impact we want to have on our field or industry. How do we want to change things for the better?
Once we have written our obituary, we can use it as a guide for our careers. We can set goals that align with our desired legacy and work towards achieving them. We can make sure we are using our personal qualities to their fullest potential and seeking out opportunities to make a meaningful impact.
Of course, our obituary is not set in stone. We can revise it as we go along, adding new accomplishments and personal qualities as we develop them. But having a clear idea of how we want to be remembered can be a powerful motivator and guide as we navigate our careers.
In conclusion, writing our own obituary may seem like a daunting task, but it can be a valuable exercise in career management. By thinking about our desired legacy and the impact we want to have, we can structure our lives and careers in a way that aligns with those goals.
Go ahead and write your own obituary – it will be at least a plan, how to start, and a way to define how you may want to live your most fulfilling life plus what you would enjoy doing as an impactful career. Start with the end in mind, is a truism that works in most goal-setting worksohps.
— Jack Atkinson – Editor Arts&Food®
