“Decide what you would like your obituary to say and live the life to deserve it.”
Buffett, the greatest investor of all time, now 95 years old – has been writing his annual letter since 1977. They are packed full of investing, business and life wisdom.
In his final letter, Buffett mentions the story of Alfred Nobel and his false obituary as a warning.
(If you’re not familiar with the word ‘obituary’ – it’s what is written about someone after they’ve passed. The story of their life and how they will be remembered.)
Alfred Nobel was a Swedish chemist, inventor, and engineer famous for inventing dynamite.
As a result of his invention, he made millions and became very wealthy.
But in 1888, despite Alfred’s success – he read something that shocked him to his core.
It was his own obituary.
He had been mistakenly reported dead by a French newspaper. (It was actually his brother who had passed).
The newspaper referred to him as “the merchant of death”.
Because he invented a weapon that killed people faster than anything the world had ever seen.
He would be remembered as a man who aided war and the destruction of lives – not a legacy he wanted to be known for.
Horrified by his public perception, he decided to dedicate the rest of his life to the pursuit of peace.
He established the Nobel Prizes – recognizing major contributions to science, literature and peace.
If you were to die today, what would be written about you?
This is a morbid question to ponder, yet the answer will either be reassuring or a rude wake-up call.
What’s important isn’t if you’re rich, famous or powerful.
As Warren Buffet mentioned in his final letter,
“Greatness does not come about through accumulating great amounts of money, great amounts of publicity or great power in government. When you help someone in any of thousands of ways, you help the world. Kindness is costless but also priceless. Whether you are religious or not, it’s hard to beat The Golden Rule as a guide to behavior.”
This leads me to the conclusion that two of the most important benchmarks to measure your life on are:
- Your character
- If you’re living your life by design, not default
Funnily enough,
I wrote my own obituary back in December 2020 (thanks to Tej Dosa’s
Mindset Folder).
And it’s something I still pull out of my office drawer and read from time to time to see if I’m still on track.
When I feel lost or distracted, I open up this document. It reminds me what’s important and if the actions I’m taking are aligned with my final destination.
I trust this story awakens the greatness within you.
How would you like to be remembered?
What would you like to be written about who you were and how you lived your life?
Don’t leave this to chance.
Shape your future with your pen.
Take the time to write your own obituary.
And become the person who’s capable of bringing your obituary to life.
Finally, if you think it’s too late to change your trajectory – heed this advice from Mr. Buffett’s final letter:
“I’m happy to say I feel better about the second half of my life than the first. My advice: Don’t beat yourself up over past mistakes – learn at least a little from them and move on. It is never too late to improve.”
Wise words from 95-year-old man.
