In Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, there is a chapter on “beginning with the end in mind.” The metaphor of a journey is often used to describe life, and for good reason; we are always in process, and the people around us are as well. The question is, where are we traveling? What should be our final result?
In the chapter, the author proposes a short visualization exercise:
Take a moment to imagine that you’ve passed on. Your friends and family are gathering to commemorate your life on earth.
What are they saying? What stories are they telling? What do they say is different because you were alive?
Are you satisfied with what they are saying?
The effect we have on others is our legacy. It is the fruit of our character that we either developed or failed to develop. It is God’s design for our spirit and our response to that design. While some may find this exercise to be sad, it is ultimately life giving. We are still here and therefore have time to contribute something of worth!
